Taxon name
Leptadenia pyrotechnica
(Forssk.) Decne.
Uploaded by
National Red List Database
Taxonomic information
Scientific name
Leptadenia pyrotechnica
(Forssk.) Decne.
Assessed taxon level
Species
Higher level taxonomic groupings
Plants
Flowering Plants
Species authority
(Forssk.) Decne.
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
Assessed as
Least Concern
Criteria system used
IUCN
(see Assessment details)
Assessment rationale/justification
This widespread species is typically noted as one of the most common plants within the UAE, in addition to being characteristic of the sand dune environment. It occurs in at least one protected area and seems to persist despite some browsing from herbivores. It is assessed as Least Concern.
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
Leptadenia pyrotechnica is widespread within northern UAE and to the east of Abu Dhabi, however it is not found to the south and west of Abu Dhabi (Jongbloed et al. 2003). It has been recorded from the Hajar Mountains, Al Ain and Dubai (Karim and Dakheel 2006, Feulner 2011). Globally, the native range of this species extends from the Sahara and northern Africa, through to Iran and northwest India (Board of Trustees, RBG Kew 2019).
Is there a map available in assessment?
Yes
Habitat and systems
Ecological system type
Habitat
Habitat details as listed in assessment
It is a perennial large shrub that can grow up to 250-300 cm in height, in addition to producing yellow flowers between November and June (Jongbloed et al. 2003). This species is typically found growing in sandy plains and low dunes within the UAE (Jongbloed et al. 2003). It is often used in sand dune stabilisation and is a characteristic species of this environment (Karim and Dakheel 2006). Leptadenia pyrotechnica has been shown to have effective adaptations to low-moisture environments and is highly salt tolerant (Karim and Dakheel 2006); the root system allows the plant to survive on existing water in the soil for 4 years without any additional rainfall (Batanouny 2001). Other species, such as gazelles and oryx, use Leptadenia pyrotechnica to shelter from the sun during the day (Jongbloed et al. 2003, Gallacher and Hill 2005). L. pyrotechnica has also been noted as a potential larval food plant for the Plain Tiger butterfly (Gillett 1998). This plant also appears to co-exist with Rhanterium epapposum, which may suggest an association between the two (El Alqamy 2004).
Threats and conservation measures listed
Threats listed in assessment
Leptadenia pyrotechnica can be eaten by browsers such as camels (Norton et al. 2009). It has been recorded that, although camel grazing can reduce the size of Leptadenia pyrotechnica, the long term impact of this on the plant is not yet known (Gallacher and Hill 2006). In addition, this species is still generally considered to be common (Jongbloed et al. 2003), meaning browsing may not pose a major threat to the species currently.
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.
