Within the UAE, it is known to be widespread throughout the Hajar Mountains (Jongbloed et al. 2003). However, it is relatively rare within the Ru'us al-Jibal (Feulner 2011). Globally, this species is native to Africa in addition to both temperate and tropical Asia (Board of Trustees, RBG Kew 2019).

Within the UAE, it occurs along the east coast of the country and through the Hajar Mountain Range in the northeast (Jongbloed et al. 2003). Globally, the native range of this species spans from Cape Verde to the Arabian Peninsula and on to the Indian subcontinent (Board of Trustees, RBG Kew 2019).

Within the UAE, it has been recorded from a few scattered records in low mountains (MEW 2010, G.R. Feulner in litt, MEW 2010). Records include slopes in the north-east of the Jebel Qitab ridge within Fujairah (Jongbloed et al. 2003, Feulner 2014). Sharjah Seedbank & Herbarium holds specimens from Qurayyah on the east coast and from southeast from Wadi Al Helo, however, these records require confirmation. Feulner (2011) reports the species from the Wadi Khab al-Shamsi narrows, however, it is thought that this locality is within Oman, not the UAE. Based on the confirmed locality on the Jebel Qitab slopes, both the AOO and EOO are likely to be highly restricted, very much less than 50 km². Globally, this species native range spans from southern Africa to north-east Africa and India, in addition to encompassing Arkansas, Arizona and Mexico within the Americas (Board of Trustees, RBG Kew 2019).

Within the UAE, it is found throughout the Hajar Mountains and the Ru'us al-Jibal, in addition to Jebel Hafeet (Jongbloed et al. 2003, Gillett 2009). Globally, this species occurs from Mauritania to the Arabian Peninsula, western Asia and India (Board of Trustees, RBG Kew 2019).

Within the UAE, this species is relatively widespread, except for the western part of the country (Jongbloed et al. 2003). Globally, the native range of this species spans from Macaronesia and the Mediterranean through northeast tropical Africa and on to Myanmar (Board of Trustees, RBG Kew 2019).

Within the UAE, this diminutive annual species has been recorded from the Ru'us al-Jibal (Feulner 2011). In this area, it is known to occur between 1,250 m and 2,000 m altitude (Feulner 2011). However, detailed distribution for this species within the UAE is lacking as there have only been a few records of the species (G.R. Feulner, in litt, MEW 2010). Not common in Oman, and reported only from the Musandam mountains, where it has been collected only twice, but probably missed in collections or over-looked (as with most annuals) in Oman due to their short life and dependency on rain; it is a southwest Asian species whose presence in Musandam is not unexpected (S. Ghazanfar pers. comm. 2019). Globally, the native range of this species extends across a large range, including Ukraine, China and the Arabian Peninsula (Board of Trustees, RBG Kew 2019).

Jongbloed et al. (2003) considered this species to be ""Not common but widespread in the Hajar Mountains and Ru'us al-Jibal."" The species is also recorded for Abu Dhabi Emirate by Brown and Sakkir (2004) from rocky habitats, and recorded as present in dams and water breakers in the western foothills of the Hajar Mountains by Mahmoud et al. (2018). However, the draft Red Data Book for the UAE (MEW 2010) considered the species to be unconfirmed for the UAE; ""Very similar to S. macrosiphon; Rechinger in Flora Iranica (p.445) states that there is a possibility of hybridisation with S. macrophiphon - but at present there is not enough material seen to establish the identity of S. spinosa."" Plants of the World online (Board of Trustees, RBG Kew 2020) give the native range as from northern Africa, through the Arabian Peninsula (KSA and the Gulf states) to Afghanistan, whilst Will and Claßen-Bockhoff (2014) appear to restrict the species to coastal areas of the eastern Mediterranean.

Within the UAE, this species is widespread throughout the Hajar Mountains and grows at a wide variety of altitudes (Jongbloed et al. 2003). Globally, the native range of this species spans from Macaronesia to northwestern India (Board of Trustees, RBG Kew 2019).

Within the UAE, it is known to occur within the Ru'us al-Jibal (Jongbloed et al. 2003). It tends to prefer higher elevations: it has been recorded from 900 m altitude and above within the Ru'us al-Jibal (Jongbloed et al. 2003, Feulner 2011). The species has also been recorded from Jebel Hafeet and from Wadi Helo (Karim 2002); these southern records require confirmation. The estimated extent of occurrence (EOO) for this species is around 620 km². This species is native to Europe, northern Africa and temperate Asia (Board of Trustees, RBG Kew 2019).

This species is common along the Arabian Gulf coast, the northern Hajar Mountains, the Ru'us al-Jibal, and is also found on offshore islands (Jongbloed et al. 2003). It occurs from sea level to at least 1,900 m asl (Feulner 2011). The global distribution of this species is across northern Africa, restricted in southern Europe (Sicily and Crete), through the Arabian Peninsula, to western India (Board of Trustees, RBG Kew 2019).