Taxon name
Helianthemum kahiricum
Delile
Uploaded by
National Red List Database
Taxonomic information
Scientific name
Helianthemum kahiricum
Delile
Assessed taxon level
Species
Higher level taxonomic groupings
Plants
Flowering Plants
Taxonomic notes and synonyms listed
Helianthemum sinuspersicum Gholamian & F.Ghahrem., endemic to Bushehr Province of southern Iran, appears to be most closely related to H. kahiricum, but differs from it especially in pedicel and habit characteristics.
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
Data Deficient
Criteria system used
IUCN
(see Assessment details)
Assessment rationale/justification
This species has been recorded from a small number of localities within the UAE, although it may be more widespread. However, confusion with H. lippii is possible: G.R. Feulner has not distinguished the species in the field from H. lippii. Estimates of population size vary from 'not common' to 'common'. In addition, its suggested ability to live at high altitudes may increase difficulty in recording this species, meaning its distribution within the UAE may need confirmation. Therefore, it is currently assessed as Data Deficient.
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, it has been recorded from Jebel Hafeet and the Ru'us al-Jibal (Stuart and Stuart 1998, Jongbloed et al. 2003, Feulner 2011), and from the Masafi Mountains and Wadi Al Helo (Sharjah Seedbank & Herbarium; S. Gairola pers. comm. 2019), with the main concentrations recorded on Jebel Hafeet and in Ra's al-Khaimah (Western 1989). G.R Feulner noted that he has not collected this species in the UAE (in litt, MEW 2010) and has not distinguished it in the field from H. lippii (Feulner 2011). In Oman, it is considered to occur at relatively high altitudes, to 1,850 m asl (Patzelt 2015). This species is native to northern Africa and the Arabian Peninsula (Board of Trustees, RBG Kew 2019).
Is there a map available in assessment?
Incomplete
Habitat and systems
Ecological system type
Habitat
Habitat details as listed in assessment
This perennial shrub species can grow up to 0.3 m in height and has grey-green leaves (Stuart and Stuart 1998, Jongbloed et al. 2003). Yellow flowers can be seen between January and April (Jongbloed et al. 2003). It grows within silt substrates between limestone rocks in the mountains (Western 1989, Jongbloed et al. 2003) and is characteristic of high-altitude grass and shrub steppe communities (Patzelt 2015).
Threats and conservation measures listed
Threats listed in assessment
There is no information available.
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.
