Taxon name
Coelachyrum piercei
(Benth.) Bor
Uploaded by
National Red List Database
Taxonomic information
Scientific name
Coelachyrum piercei
(Benth.) Bor
Assessed taxon level
Species
Higher level taxonomic groupings
Plants
Flowering Plants
Species authority
(Benth.) Bor
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 widespread in the north-east of the UAE. Whilst subpopulations will have undergone a significant decline as a result of coastal development, it is thought that the species still qualifies 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
This species is found in the north-east of the UAE from western Dubai to Ras al-Khaimah (Jongbloed et al. 2003) and also occurs from west of Al Hamra to Al Mirfa (Al Meharibi et al. 2019) in Abu Dhabi. The species is found on coralline sands northeast of Taweela into Ras al-Khaimah (G. Brown pers. comm. 2019). It occurs only locally in Ras al-Khaimah and in Umm al-Quwain in dune hollows up to about 10 km inland, and occasionally by roadsides (e.g. around Zayed University campus, Dubai), and occurs on one side of Jebel Nazwa (G. Brown pers. comm. 2019). The global distribution of this species is from Somalia in north-east Africa to Pakistan (Board of Trustees, RBG Kew 2018).
Is there a map available in assessment?
Yes
Habitat and systems
Ecological system type
Habitat
Habitat details as listed in assessment
Found in sandy habitats, this is a perennial species that grows up to 0.45 m in height, forming tussocks (Jongbloed et al. 2003). It flowers throughout the year but the peak period is from January to June (Jongbloed et al. 2003). It occurs in sandy areas and wadis (MEW 2010) although presence in wadi habitats requires confirmation, however, it does occur in saline (or peri-saline) habitats (G.R. Feulner, in lit, MEW 2010). It occurs mainly on white sands, but occasionally on red sands (G. Brown pers. comm. 2019).
Threats and conservation measures listed
Threats listed in assessment
Grazing by livestock may impact the species in parts of its range, and impacts from coastal development are likely to have been significant.
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.
