The species was recorded for the UAE (as Tribulus bimucronatus var. inermis) by Böer and Chaudhary (1999) from the from the hills near Dibba, and the identity of the record requires confirmation. The global range of this species spans from north Africa (Morocco) and north-east Africa, through to the Arabian Peninsula (Saudi Arabia, Yemen, Qatar and the UAE; Board of Trustees, RBG Kew 2019).

Within the UAE, it is common and widespread throughout inland sandy regions across the entire country (Jongbloed et al. 2003). Globally, this species is native to countries within the Arabian Peninsula (Board of Trustees, RBG Kew 2019). According to the outcome of the UAE National Red List Workshop (15th-19th September 2019, Dubai), records of Tribulus omanense within the UAE are considered within Tribulus arabicus. This is due to the species material for T. omanense being described a year after T. arabicus by Hadidi, despite the identification appearing to use the same type material. T. omanense was described as occurring throughout the south of the UAE, in sandy areas.

Western (1991) considered this species to mostly occur in the Western Region bordering Qatar and Saudi Arabia, whilst MEW (2010) considered the species to be widespread along the Arabian Gulf coast and on sandy and gravelly plains in the northern Emirates. Jongbloed et al. (2003) show a coastal distribution in western and central areas, but extending inland to Jebel Hafeet and east to the east coast of the UAE. According to comments from the UAE National Red List Workshop (15^th-19^th September 2019, Dubai), here, we consider T. qatarensis to have a coastal distribution in addition to being a separate species to T. mandavillei and T. hamiensis. The species has been recorded for Jebel Hafeet (Stuart and Stuart 1998), however Brown et al. (2007) considered the subpopulation there to be distinct, as Zygophyllum cf. migahadii; Feulner (2014) considered the species present on Jebel Hafeet to be T. migahadii, but T. qatarensis to be present to the base of the mountain. Alzahrani and Albokhari (2017, 2018) give the global distribution as Saudi Arabia (eastern region and north-central areas), Qatar, Kuwait, Bahrain, United Arab Emirates, Oman, Socotra, Yemen and Iraq.

The distribution of this species in the UAE is not well known. The synonym Zygophyllum boulosii has been recorded once by B. Böer in the western region of Abu Dhabi (Jongbloed et al. 2003), although Böer and Chaudhary (1999) only mention a record from the east coast. The synonym Tetraena migahidii is locally common in rocky habitats on Jebel Hafeet, especially at higher elevations, as reported by Brown and Sakkir (2004). The global range of this species is from Egypt (Sinai), through the eastern Mediterranean, the Arabian Peninsula (Saudi Arabia only) to Afghanistan and Pakistan (Board of Trustees, RBG Kew 2019).

Within the UAE, it is described as widespread across the Hajar Mountain range (MEW 2010). It is known to occur within Al Ain, Dubai, Shwayb, Madam and Dhaid (Karim and Dakheel 2006). Globally, the native range of this species encompasses the Canary Islands, Mauritania, the Mediterranean, northeast tropical Africa, the Arabian Peninsula and Iran (Board of Trustees, RBG Kew 2019).

Within the UAE, two plants have been recorded from both Kalbard and Wadi Hayl (Sharjah Seed Bank and Herbarium pers. comm. 2019). This species has been recorded from Wadi Kitnah (Jongbloed et al. 2003), which is in Oman close to the border with the UAE. Globally, this species is native to the Arabian Peninsula, in addition to from Iran to Pakistan (Board of Trustees, RBG Kew 2019).

In the UAE, this species is widespread in the Hajar Mountains and the Ru'us al-Jibal from c. 200 m asl (Jongbloed et al. 2003) to at least 1,100 m (Feulner 2011). Records include Wadi Shih and Wadi Hayl (Khor Fakhan; Aspinal et al. 1995), and it occurs in Wadi Wurayah National Park (Feulner 2016), south to Wadi Hatta. Globally, this species occurs from north-east Africa and throughout the Arabian Peninsula, to Iran (Board of Trustees, RBG Kew 2018).

This rare species has been recorded by Jongbloed from the foothills of the Ru'us al-Jibal (Jongbloed et al. 2003) and is considered to be restricted to this area (Feulner 2011). The global distribution of this species is from the north-east and east of tropical Africa, to the Arabian Peninsula, Pakistan and north-west India (Board of Trustees, RBG Kew 2019).

Within the eastern UAE, this is a common and widespread species in the Hajar Mountains (Jongbloed et al. 2003) and Jebel Hafeet (Fawzi and Ksiksi 2012), which can be found from sea level to 1,000 m (MEW 2010). Feulner (2011) reported it to c.1,500 m, although it is more common at low to medium altitudes. Its global distribution is from the Arabian Peninsula to southern Iran and Pakistan (Board of Trustees, RBG Kew 2019).

Within the UAE, it is found from Sweihan, in the centre of the country, towards the sand dunes around Sabkha Matti, in the far west of the country (Jongbloed et al. 2003, G.R. Feulner in litt., MEW 2010). This species is native to the Arabian Peninsula and northwest China (Board of Trustees, RBG Kew 2019).