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
Least Concern
Criteria system used
IUCN
(see Assessment details)
Assessment rationale/justification
This species was previously assessed as Least Concern, and it is known to occur in at least one protected area. Although it may be badly grazed, it is unknown to what extent this currently impacts the population. Pergularia tomentosa can also persist in disturbed areas which may increase its resistance to development and land use change. Therefore, 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
Pergularia tomentosa occurs in the northern emirates, within the north-east of Abu Dhabi Emirate and rarely in the Ru'us al-Jibal (Jongbloed et al. 2003, Feulner 2011) as well as the Wadi Wurayah National Park (Feulner 2016). Where it occurs in montane areas, it is restricted to low altitudes (Jongbloed et al. 2003). Globally, this species occurs from the Sahara in northern Africa to 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
This species is a perennial twining herb, typically free standing, that grows up to 2 m in height (Western 1992). It produces small red-brown flowers between February - April and September - October (Jongbloed et al. 2003, Karim and Dakheel 2006). It grows in sand and gravel plains, in addition to disturbed areas (Jongbloed et al. 2003, Feulner 2011, 2016), and is classed as a xerophyte (Jongbloed et al. 2003, Böer and Saenger 2006). This species is utilised as a food plant by Danaus chrysippus caterpillars (Jongbloed et al. 2003).
Threats and conservation measures listed
Threats listed in assessment
This species is believed to be badly overgrazed by goats (Western 1991).
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.
