Taxon name
Tetraena hamiensis
(Schweinf.) Beier & Thulin
Uploaded by
National Red List Database
Taxonomic information
Scientific name
Tetraena hamiensis
(Schweinf.) Beier & Thulin
Assessed taxon level
Species
Higher level taxonomic groupings
Plants
Flowering Plants
Species authority
(Schweinf.) Beier & Thulin
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 apparently widespread in both coastal and inland saline areas of the UAE. Although it is likely that some subpopulations will have undergone a significant decline as a result of coastal development, the species is still thought to exceed the thresholds for threatened categories. Therefore, this species 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
In the UAE, the species is found in coastal areas close to the western border, from Sila to Jebel Dhanna, to at least between Abu Dhabi and Dubai (Western 1983). Karim and Dakheel (2006) considered it common ""...all over the UAE: abundant along the Arabian Gulf coast, throughout western dunes and saline plains, and across the central desert"". However, according to participants of the National UAE Red List Workshop 15<sup>th</sup>-19<sup>th</sup> September 2019, Dubai), this plant may not be a coastal species after all. This highlights further confusion over the correct distribution of Tetraena hamiensis within the UAE. <u></u>In accordance with the outcomes of the UAE National Red List Workshop (15<sup>th</sup>-19<sup>th</sup> September 2019, Dubai), here, we consider Tetraena mandavillei to be a synonym of Tetraena hamiensis, and it is therefore included under this species assessment. The global range of this species spans from the north-east of Africa, through the Arabian Peninsula and on to Iran (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
Western (1983) found the species in the coastal vegetation zone within the UAE. Karim and Dakheel (2006) gave the habitat as dunes and saline areas, in addition to across the the central desert. It is also likely to occur in gravel environments (S. Ghazanfar pers. comm. 2019). It is extremely salt tolerant, grazed by camels and grows as a woody based shrublet, up to 0.7 m high.
Threats and conservation measures listed
Threats listed in assessment
Western (1983) commented that the species is generally avoided by grazing animals because of its purgative effects, whilst Karim and Dakheel (2006) noted that it is grazed by camels. Due to these conflicting statements, the threats to this species remain largely unknown.
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.
