The distribution of this species in the UAE is not well understood. Feulner (2016) records the species from the Wadi Wurayah National Park buffer zone in the upper parts of Wadi Siji and Feulner (2014) records the species from northeast facing cliffs along the summit ridge of Jebel Qitab, from Jebel Masafi. It is known from a single site in the Ru'us al-Jibal on a cliff-face close to a spring ('Ayn as-Sih in Oman) at 470 m elevation (Feulner 2011). The species also occurs at cultivated sites elsewhere in the UAE. Globally, the native range of this species spans across northern Africa to Caucasus and to the Indian subcontinent (Board of Trustees, RBG Kew 2019). Although Plants of the World Online lists the UAE as a native country of occurrence, there is very little available information on this species within the country, including detailed distribution data.

This species occurs widely in the central and north-eastern UAE (Jongbloed et al. 2003), and it is also present in the Wadi Wurayah National Park (Feulner 2016), in wadi beds in the 'Olive Highlands' (Feulner 2014), and the coastal white sands at Taweela, Abu Dhabi (Brown et al. 2007). Globally, this species is distributed across North Africa, the Middle East, throughout the Arabian Peninsula, Pakistan and India (Board of Trustees, RBG Kew 2018).

In the UAE, Panicum turgidum is widespread and occurs in nearly all of the country. It is rarer in the mountains (Jongbloed et al. 2003) but may occur on some islands (e.g. Abu Dhabi Island; Western 1983). Al Meharibi et al. (2019) consider the species to be absent from Hajar Mountains and the east coast, and also from coastal areas; they comment that this species has undergone significant declines as a result of habitat loss and overgrazing. Globally, Panicum turgidum occurs in North Africa, the Middle East, Pakistan and India (Board of Trustees, RBG Kew 2018).

The species has been recorded from Al Ain (Dubai; Karim 1993) and from Al Dhaid (Sharjah) in the UAE. Globally, the native range of this species spans across Socotra, the Arabian Peninsula, Turkey and on to China and the western Himalayas (Board of Trustees, RBG Kew 2019). Although Plants of the World Online lists the UAE as a native country of occurrence for this species, there seems to be little available information on this plant within the UAE, and Kameswara Rao (2013) lists only Saudi Arabia for the Arabian Peninsula.

This species is common and widespread in low dunes of the eastern Emirates in the UAE (Jongbloed et al. 2003, Al Meharibi et al. 2019). It is generally absent from coastal areas. Outlying records include from Jebel Dhanna (in the far west of the UAE), east of Abu Dhabi, the base of Jebel Hafeet (Brown et al. 2007), and Wadi Al Ain (Mousa and Fawzi 2009). The species is present in the Hajar Mountains (wadis, lower slopes, foothills and alluvial plains; Feulner 2011). Al Meharibi et al. (2019) show a more restricted distribution in inland coastal sand sheets from Abu Dhabi to the northern Emirates. The species is scattered on near-coastal sands in western Abu Dhabi Emirate, rare on near-coastal sands elsewhere, probably due to grazing pressure; it is most often now seen by roads (e.g. Al-Ain-“Dubai road) where livestock can't get at it. The species is also common on limestone outcrops (Jebel Nazwa-“very common locally, Jebel Hafeet, some small patches in the middle of the desert) and in parts of the Hajar Mountains (G. Brown pers. comm. 2019).The native range of this species is from the western Sahara, across Africa to the Arabian Peninsula, to northwest India (Board of Trustees, RBG Kew 2018).

This species has been recorded from the Ru'us al-Jibal from c.1,200-1,350 m asl (Feulner 2011, Al Mehairbi et al. 2019). Jongbloed et al. (2003) shows a record from across the border in Oman, and it has also been found from c.800 m there by G.R. Feulner (2011). The species is native range is from Macaronesia, circum-Mediterranean to Ethiopia, through the Arabian Peninsula, to northern India (Board of Trustees, RBG Kew 2018).

This species occurs at high altitudes in the Ru'us al-Jibal (including the UAE) (G.R. Feulner, in lit, MEW 2010). In addition, it is known from Wadi Bih and from Jebel Masafi in the Hajar Mountains (Jongbloed et al. 2003, Feulner 2011). Globally, its native range is Mediterranean to Northern and Western Iran, and Eritrea to South Africa (Board of Trustees, RBG Kew 2019).

Sharjah Seed Bank and Herbarium holds just two known localities for this species in the UAE, in Dubai Emirate (on the edge of Dubai city) and Fujairah Emirate (near Khor Fakkan city). Al Mehairbi et al. (2019) report the species from Abu Dhabi Island in urban areas. Globally, the native range of this species spans across the Old World (Board of Trustees, RBG Kew 2019). The species has been very widely introduced to the Americas and Australasia.

This plant species was considered widespread along the Arabian Gulf coast (Jongbloed et al. 2003) and in the Hajar Mountains. The UAE national Red List workshop restricted the natural range to the Hajar Mountains and associated nearby gravel plains; although Al Mehairbi et al. (2019) retain an almost unbroken distribution along the Gulf coast to the border with Saudi Arabia, this requires confirmation, and the western-most confirmed observation is from the Al Wohoosh protected area on silty-sandy interdunal plains (G. Brown pers. comm. 2019). Probably introduced in parts of its range in the UAE through cultivation as a weed of crops. RBG Edinburgh Herbarium holds five specimens of the species, most from urban or cultivated areas. It has been recorded from the Wadi Wurayah buffer zone (Feulner 2016), Wadi al Ain (Mousa and Fawzi 2009), from the Ru'us al-Jibal (Feulner 2011), and from Wadi Tarabat at Jebel Hafeet (Fawzi and Ksiksi 2012). Outside the UAE, the native distribution is from Macaronesia, around the Mediterranean basin (although apparently absent from some countries and considered introduced to others), across northern and central Africa, through the Arabian Peninsula, to Pakistan; considered introduced to southern Africa, the Americas, Australia, and parts of Southeast Asia (Board of Trustees, RBG Kew 2018).

This species has been recorded from the localities of Khor Fakkan and the Ru'us al-Jibal (Jongbloed et al. 2003, Feulner 2011). Within the Ru'us al-Jibal, it was recorded at elevations between 1,100-1,450 m (Feulner 2011). Globally, it is native to Spain, from the Sahara to northwest China, also in Tanzania, and from the Indian Subcontinent to Myanmar (Board of Trustees, RBG Kew 2019).