Uploaded by
National Red List Database
Taxonomic information
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
Assessed as
Data Deficient
Criteria system used
IUCN
(see Assessment details)
Assessment rationale/justification
It has been recorded from the Ras al Khaimah and Rams (Jongbloed et al. 2003), however there is confusion over whether these records refer to this species or to the related S. holoserica. In addition, it is a cultivated medicinal plant; its origin in the UAE requires confirmation, and it is likely to be introduced here. Therefore, it is considered 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
This species is cited for the UAE by Jongbloed et al. (2003), and has been recorded from Ras al Khaimah and Rams (Jongbloed et al. 2003). S. Sakkir (pers. comm. 2019) recorded the species as being cultivated in Al Ain. The species is considered introduced/cultivated to the UAE by MoCCaE (O. Al Shamsi pers. comm. 2019), and only S. italica is considered native to the UAE by RBG Edinburgh (provisional checklist, A. Forrest pers. comm. 2018). Globally, the native range of this species spans across the Sahara and Sahel to the Indian Subcontinent (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
This perennial shrub species has leaves with pointed tips and yellow flowers which are present between March and December (Jongbloed et al. 2003). It is known to grow within compacted sand (Jongbloed et al. 2003) and has been recorded from a roadside along with Tephrosia species. Senna alexandrina is considered to be an unpalatable plant which may protect it from grazing.
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.
