Taxon name
Brachypodium distachyon
(L.) P.Beauv.
Uploaded by
National Red List Database
Taxonomic information
Scientific name
Brachypodium distachyon
(L.) P.Beauv.
Assessed taxon level
Species
Higher level taxonomic groupings
Plants
Flowering Plants
Species authority
(L.) P.Beauv.
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 is distributed in the eastern UAE, with scattered records from the Ru'us al-Jibal at high altitudes, a single locality north of Hatta, and from Wadi Wurayah. The species was found to be locally common in Wadi Wurayah and in the Ru'us al-Jibal. The extent of occurrence (EOO) is estimated to be up to 1,100 km<sup>2</sup>, however, the area of occupancy cannot be estimated as detailed distribution records are not available. Further research is required to confirm the full distribution within the UAE, and the scope of impacts from grazing, however, it is assessed here as Least Concern as it probably occurs in more than ten locations with no evidence of widespread declines in the number of mature individuals or in the quality and extent of habitat.
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 distributed in the eastern UAE. Jongbloed et al. (2003) reported the species from the Ru'us al-Jibal at high altitudes and from a single locality north of Hatta. In the Ru'us al-Jibal, Feulner (2011) found the species at all altitudes to c. 1,450 m asl. Feulner (2016) found the species to be locally common in Wadi Wurayah. Globally, this species occurs across North Africa, southern Europe, Ukraine, the Arabian Peninsula and West and Central Asia (Board of Trustees, RBG Kew 2018).
Is there a map available in assessment?
Incomplete
Habitat and systems
Ecological system type
Habitat
Habitat details as listed in assessment
Brachypodium distachyon is an annual grass that grows up to 0.4 m high in sand and gravel plains as well as silt between rocks in mountains (Jongbloed et al. 2003). Feulner (2016) found the species in a range of habitats (wadi floor, wadi slopes and side gulleys) in Wadi Wurayah.
Threats and conservation measures listed
Threats listed in assessment
Grazing by livestock may impact the species in parts of its range.
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.
