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NRLD - 330769 | Capparis spinosa

Assessment ID
330769
Taxon name
Capparis spinosa
L.
Uploaded by
National Red List Database
Taxonomic information
Scientific name
Capparis spinosa
L.
Assessed taxon level
Species
Higher level taxonomic groupings
Plants
Flowering Plants
Kingdom
Plantae
Phylum
tracheophyta
Class
magnoliopsida
Order
brassicales
Family
capparaceae
Genus
Capparis
Species
spinosa
Species authority
L.
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)
Country ISO code(s)
ARE
Does the assessment cover a marine EEZ area(s)?
Not_assigned
Conservation Status
Assessed as
Least Concern
Abbreviated status
LC
Criteria system used
IUCN

(see Assessment details)

Assessment rationale/justification
The species is widespread in the mountains of the UAE, and is also found on offshore islands and in some coastal areas. Whilst it is likely to have been impacted by grazing and coastal development, it is still widespread and assessed as Least Concern.
Assessment details
Year assessed
2019
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
In the UAE, the species occurs in the Hajar Mountains and the Ru'us al-Jibal as well as on some offshore islands (Western 1994, Jongbloed et al. 2003), on Jebel Dhanna (Western 1983), and on Jebel Hafeet (Western 1994). The species is common in the Ru'us al-Jibal up to c. 1,000 m asl (Feulner 2011). It is possible that some occurrences are the result of cultivation. Globally, the species occurs around much of the Mediterranean basin, through the Arabian Peninsula (but excluding the UAE), and parts of Central Asia (Board of Trustees, RBG Kew 2019).
Is there a map available in assessment?
Yes
Habitat and systems
Ecological system type
Terrestrial
Not_assigned
Freshwater
Not_assigned
Marine
Not_assigned
Habitat
Habitat details as listed in assessment
This species is found in a range of habitats. In the mountains, it occurs on cliff-faces, possibly as a result of grazing pressure (Feulner 2011) and hillsides, as well as along wadi banks (Jongbloed et al. 2003).
Threats and conservation measures listed
Threats listed in assessment
Grazing by livestock and feral animals may impact the species in parts of its range, and it is likely to have been impacted by coastal development.
Publication
UAE National Red List of Vascular Plants
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.