This species is widespread and common in sands (Jongbloed et al. 2003, MEW 2010, Al Meharibi et al. 2019). The western region of Abu Dhabi Emirate is dominated by this species (Sakkir et al. 2012). Feulner (2016) recorded this species in small numbers at a few localities in Wadi Wurayah National Park, which are likely the result of anthropogenic movement. Regarding global distribution, this plant species is native across western Africa to north-eastern Africa, through the Arabian Peninsula, to India (Board of Trustees, RBG Kew 2018).

In the UAE, this species is found in low-lying saline areas, primarily in Dubai and Sharjah emirates, and to the southwest of Al Ain (Jongbloed et al. 2003). Karim and Dakheel (2006) list occurrence in Ain, Dubai, Sharjah, Dhaid, Jebel al-Dhanna and Umm al-Quwain. It is also recorded from Hatta and Ras al-Khaimah (Sharjah Seed Bank and Herbarium pers. comm. 2019). The species is used as an ornamental plant in gardens and along roadsides. Plants of the World Online (Board of Trustees, RBG Kew 2019) considers this species to be endemic to the Arabian Peninsula, with records from the Gulf States, Kuwait, Oman, Saudi Arabia, however the holotype is from Iran (<a href=""https://science.mnhn.fr/institution/mnhn/collection/p/item/p00704167?listIndex=1&listCount=10"">MNHN</a>), with additional records from <a href=""https://science.mnhn.fr/institution/mnhn/collection/p/item/p04958256?listIndex=6&listCount=10"">Egypt </a>and <a href=""https://science.mnhn.fr/institution/mnhn/collection/p/item/p00704170?listIndex=5&listCount=10"">Iraq</a>.

This species is widespread in the northeastern UAE, from Jebel Hafeet (<a href=""http://data.rbge.org.uk/herb/E00586818"">RBGE; coll. J.R. Edmondson, 1980</a>; <a href=""http://data.rbge.org.uk/herb/E00586811"">RBGE; coll. R.A. Western 1982</a>) and Al Ain north to Ras Al Khaimah, widespread north of Abu Dhabi-Al Ain road, east to the foothills of the Hajar Mountains (Jongbloed et al. 2003). It is also recorded from Dubai, south of Dubai and to the west towards Abu Dhabi. Whilst subpopulations have been lost, leading to a decline in the area of occupancy, it is unclear whether the extent of occurrence has undergone decline. The species is found through the Arabian Peninsula to south-east Iraq and southern Iran (Board of Trustees, RBG Kew 2019).

This species is widespread on the slopes and foothills of the Hajar Mountains in the UAE. It is also found, although less common, in the Ru'us al-Jibal where it occurs up to 1,550 m asl (Feulner 2011), and it is present on Jebel Hafeet (Jongbloed et al. 2003). This species has been recorded from the Wadi Wurayah National Park (Feulner 2016). The native range is Egypt and the eastern Mediterranean, through the Arabian Peninsula, to Pakistan and Arabian Peninsula (Board of Trustees, RBG Kew 2019).

In the UAE, this species is widespread in the Hajar Mountains (Jongbloed et al. 2003), extending south to Jebel Hafeet (<a href=""http://data.rbge.org.uk/herb/E00437366"">RBGE Herbarium</a>; lower slopes close to Al Ain, coll. R.A. Western, 1982), and also occurring, rarely, in the Ru'us al-Jibal, with three localities known at low altitudes (Feulner 2011). The global range of this species is across northern Africa, through the Arabian Peninsula, to north-west India (Board of Trustees, RBG Kew 2019).

In the UAE, the species is widespread in the Hajar Mountains (Jongbloed et al. 2003) and also occurs on Jebel Hafeet (Sakkir and Brown 2014), and in the Al Ain area, including Wadi Al Ain (Mousa and Fawzi 2009). Records of the species from the Ru'us al-Jibal are thought to be erroneous (Feulner 2011). The global range of this species is from north-east Africa to the Arabian Peninsula (Board of Trustees, RBG Kew 2019).

In the UAE, this species is restricted to the Ru'us al-Jibal (Jongbloed et al. 2003, MEW 2010), from c.250 m to at least 1,200 m asl (Feulner 2011). The EOO is estimated at less than 500 km², however the AOO cannot be estimated as detailed locality data are not available. The species is primarily found in cultivated areas, but is found in other habitats. The native range of this species is from Macaronesia, through northern Africa and Europe to Afghanistan and the Arabian Peninsula (although the UAE and Oman are not cited; Board of Trustees, RBG Kew 2019). The species has been widely introduced.

The distribution of this species in the UAE is uncertain due to potential confusion with other members of the genus. The species is absent from Jongbloed et al. (2003), however their record of Reseda arabica from the base of Jebel Hafeet may refer to R. muricata (MEW 2010). Feulner (2016) considered only R. aucheri to be present in Wadi Wurayah National Park. Mahmoud et al. (2018) found the species on gravel plains in their study along the Hajar Mountains in the UAE. Sharjah Seedbank & Herbarium hold a specimen from a garden in Wadi-Al Helo; it is uncertain if this specimen is native or cultivated. The species is native to Egypt and Asia-Temperate (eastern Mediterranean, Iraq and the Arabian Peninsula; Board of Trustees, RBG Kew 2019).

Within the UAE, this species has been recorded from the base of Jebel Hafeet (Jongbloed et al. 2003). However, this is considered to be an unconfirmed record as the plant may actually have been Reseda muricata (MEW 2010). More recently, around 6 individuals were found to occur in Al Ain, within a wadi at the base of Jebel Hafeet (Sharjah Seed Bank and Herbarium pers. comm. 2019). Globally, the native range of this species spans across northern Africa to the Arabian Peninsula (Board of Trustees, RBG Kew 2019).

It is described as being widespread and a major vegetation element in the western part of the UAE (Böer and Chaudhary 1999). Feulner states that this species is found in the northern Emirates, as it is not found in large dunes to the south or in Abu Dhabi (G.R. Feulner, in litt, MEW 2010). The native range of this species spreads from the Sahara to northwest India (Board of Trustees, RBG Kew 2019).