Taxon name
Salsola schweinfurthii
Solms
Uploaded by
National Red List Database
Taxonomic information
Scientific name
Salsola schweinfurthii
Solms
Assessed taxon level
Species
Higher level taxonomic groupings
Plants
Flowering Plants
Location and scope
Specific locality or subnational name or regional name
United Arab Emirates (the)
Scope (of the Assessment)
National
Countries included within the scope of the assessment
United Arab Emirates (the)
Does the assessment cover a marine EEZ area(s)?
Not_assigned
Conservation Status
Qualifying criteria (if given)
B1ab(iii,v)+2ab(iii,v)
Criteria system used
IUCN
(see Assessment details)
Assessment rationale/justification
This species is considered to be restricted Khor Kalba on the eastern coast of the UAE, in addition to the plains surrounding this area. The estimated extent of occurrence (EOO) for this locality is under 20 km<sup>2</sup>, with the AOO unlikely to exceed 18 km<sup>2</sup>. In addition, the species may well be experiencing loss in habitat availability due to development in this area. Without precise current distribution data, the number of locations are hard to define, but given the extensive recent development in the area, the number of locations is presumed to be five or fewer. It is therefore precautionary assessed as Endangered (EN B1ab(iii,v)+2ab(iii,v)) in order to highlight its existing restricted distribution, in addition to the potential for ongoing declines to this species. The species may also qualify for a threatened category under criterion D. The extent, if any, of regional rescue effect from populations in adjacent parts of Oman is not known.
Assessment details
Assessors/contributors/reviewers listed
UAE National Red List Workshop
Criteria system used
IUCN
Reference for methods given
IUCN. 2012. IUCN Red List Categories and Criteria: Version 3.1, Second edition. IUCN, Gland, Switzerland and Cambridge, UK. iv + 32pp pp. And IUCN. 2012. Guidelines for Application of IUCN Red List Criteria at Regional and National Levels: Version 4.0. Gland, Switzerland and Cambridge, UK: IUCN. iii + 41pp.
Further information
Endemism (according to assessment)
Endemic to region
Not assigned
Taxon distribution as listed in assessment
Within the UAE, this species has been recorded from the Khor Kalba plain (Jongbloed et al. 2003, MEW 2010), with a first tentative identification in 1982 from a ""...roundabout next to Khor Kalba power station"" (Western 1987). The maximum EOO of the area of Khor Kalba was estimated at less than 20 km<sup>2</sup>, with the AOO likely to not exceed 18 km<sup>2</sup>. A second record of the species, also from Sharjah Emirate, requires confirmation, with the photograph of the record lost and no specimen found in SSBH (J. Pereira pers. comm. 2020). This species is native to Egypt and the Arabian Peninsula (Board of Trustees, RBG Kew 2019), with Ghazanfar et al. (2019) giving the distribution as mainly from eastern Saudi Arabia to Jordan, with an outlier recorded in Oman.
Is there a map available in assessment?
Yes
Habitat and systems
Ecological system type
Habitat
Habitat details as listed in assessment
This perennial shrub species can grow up to 0.5 m in height and has curved leaves in addition to winged fruits (Jongbloed et al. 2003, Norton et al. 2009). It is a crop wild relative of the saltwort, Salsola verniculata (Kameswara Rao 2013). A continuing decline in habitat quality and extent is inferred based on extensive coastal development on the plain around Khor Kalba.
Threats and conservation measures listed
Threats listed in assessment
As this species appears to occur within or near to the city of Khor Kalba, it is likely experiencing a decline in habitat availability as a result of development.
Publication
Allen, D.J., Westrip, J.R.S., Puttick, A., Harding, K.A., Hilton-Taylor, C. and Ali, H. 2021. UAE National Red List of Vascular Plants. Technical Report. Ministry of Climate Change and Environment, United Arab Emirates, Dubai.
