Within the UAE, this species is described as widespread within the Hajar Moutains and East coast plantations (Jongbloed et al. 2003). Globally, this species occurs from Cape Verde to tropical and southern Africa, in addition to the Arabian Peninsula and from the Indian subcontinent to China (Board of Trustees, RBG Kew 2019).

Within the UAE, this species is particularly widespread and can be found throughout much of the country (Jongbloed et al. 2003). In the Ru'us al-Jibal, it has been recorded from altitudes up to 1,600 m (Feulner 2011). Globally, the native range of this species spans from Macaronesia, the Mediterranean and to Pakistan and the Sahara, but it has been very widely introduced elsewhere (Board of Trustees, RBG Kew 2019).

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).