The species has a restricted distribution, recorded from the northern Hajar Mountains and the Ru'us al Jibal, from 400 m to at least 1,200 m (Jongbloed et al. 2003, Feulner 2011). The EOO is less than 700 km². The native range of the species is southern and central Europe, the eastern Mediterranean and the Arabian Peninsula, to Iran; introduced to large parts of eastern North America and northern Europe (Board of Trustees, RBG Kew 2019).

Originally thought to occur in just scattered locations (Jongbloed et al. 2003), this species is now thought to be more widespread (MEW 2010). Western (1991) recorded the species from Sir Bani Yas Island in plantations, although the origin there requires confirmation. The species occurs in Wadi Wurayah National Park (WWNP), where it is common in peri-anthropic waste ground (Feulner 2016). In the southern Hajar Mountains in the UAE, the species occurs along the ridge tops in the 'Olive Highlands' (Feulner 2014). Sharjah Seedbank & Herbarium hold specimens from inland localities (including in Sharjah, R'as al-Khaimah and in Sharjah Emirate on the east coast at Kalba. The species is considered native to North America, Africa and the Arabian Peninsula (Board of Trustees, RBG Kew 2019). The native status of the species in the Americas has been controversial, but molecular research suggests that it is native there (Martín-Bravo et al. 2007).

Within the UAE, this species has been recorded from the Ru'us al-Jibal (Jongbloed et al. 2003). It is uncertain as to whether this species should also include records under the name of Roemeria refracta [= Papaver refractum (DC.) K.-F.Günther] within the Ru'us al-Jibal (Feulner 2011). Globally, the native range of this species extends across northern Africa, the Mediterranean, central Asia and Pakistan (Board of Trustees, RBG Kew 2019).

Within the UAE, this species is widespread in the Hajar Mountains and the Ru'us al-Jibal (Jongbloed et al. 2003), including Wadi Helo (El-Keblawy et al. 2016). The species also occurs on Jebel Hafeet (Stuart and Stuart 1998, Fawzi and Ksiksi 2012) and on the lower slopes of ravines in the 'Olive Highlands' (Feulner 2014). The global range of this species is from north-east Africa (Egypt to north-east tropical Africa), the eastern Mediterranean, Jordan to the Arabian Peninsula (Board of Trustees, RBG Kew 2019).

The species is widespread in the Hajar Mountains, with additional records from Jebel Hafeet (e.g, Wadi Tarabat; Fawzi and Ksiksi 2012), Wadi Al Ain (Mousa and Fawzi 2009), and from several farmed areas in Wadi Ghalilah, northern Ra's al-Khaimah. The species was not found in Wadi Wurayah National Park (although no attempt was made to specifically differentiate from Sisumbrium erysimoides; Feulner 2011). The species was recorded for Wadi Helo (El-Keblawy 2011) but not recorded for that area by the later El-Keblawy et al. (2016). Sharjah Seedbank & Herbarium hold specimens from Wadi Helo (Fujairah), Al Ain (Abu Dhabi), and Wadi Al Nahw, Oman. The global range of this species is around much of the Mediterranean basin, north-east Africa, through the Arabian Peninsula to Pakistan and Central Asia (Board of Trustees, RBG Kew 2019). The species has been very widely introduced and naturalised.

This species is widespread through the Hajar Mountains in the eastern UAE, with additional records from Jebel Hafeet (Jongbloed et al. 2003), north to R'as al-Khaimah, where it is found on the alluvial plain (Western 1983). The species occurs within the 'Olive Highlands' of the southern Hajar Mountains (Feulner 2014), within Wadi Wurayah National Park (WWNP; Judas 2016), and occurs throughout the UAE part of the Ru'us al-Jibal to at least 1,600 m (Feulner 2011). The global range of this species is around much of the southern Mediterranean basin to the north-east and east of Africa, through the Arabian Peninsula to Iran and Pakistan (Board of Trustees, RBG Kew 2019). The species has been widely introduced and naturalised.

This species is known from few records in the UAE. Jongbloed et al. (2003) cite two records by R.A. Western from coastal areas of Ajman and Umm al Quwain (<a href=""http://data.rbge.org.uk/herb/E00043043"">RBGE Herbarium</a>; R.A. Western; 1985, ""Umm al Quwain to Moola Road""). <a href=""http://data.rbge.org.uk/herb/E00043042"">RBGE</a> also hold a specimen (K. Müller-Hohenstein 1986) from dunes near Al Awir (Dubai). G. Brown (pers. comm. 2019) has only seen the species once in the UAE, near coastal sandsheets in Umm Al Quwain. R.A Western collected the species from ""Ruus al Jibal summit"" in 1985 (Western 1985), precise locality not known and possibly not within the UAE. The estimated EOO of this species is 2340 km²and it is considered to occur at fewer then 10 threat-based locations. The global range of this species is through the Arabian Peninsula to Egypt and the eastern Mediterranean (Board of Trustees, RBG Kew 2019).

In the UAE, this species is relatively widespread in the Hajar Mountains (Jongbloed et al. 2003) and also occurs on Jebel Hafeet (Sakkir and Brown 2013). The species occurs in the southern Ru'us al-Jibal to c. 1,150 m (Feulner 2011). The species occurs in Wado Helo (El-Keblawy et al. 2016) and is known from the Wadi Wurayah National Park (WWNP) from a single specimen in Wadi Zikt (Feulner 2016). The global range of this species is from Spain, across northern Africa, and through the Arabian Peninsula (Board of Trustees, RBG Kew 2019).

In the UAE, this species is widespread in the Hajar Mountains and also occurs on Jebel Hafeet (RGBE Herbarium (<a href=""http://data.rbge.org.uk/herb/E00377490"">lower slopes, coll. R.A. Western, 1982</a>), Jongbloed et al. 2003, Fawzi and Ksiksi 2012). The species occurs rarely in the Ru'us al-Jibal to c. 600 m (Feulner 2011) and in the Wadi Wurayah National Park (WWNP; Feulner 2016). The global range of this species is from Israel and Palestine in the eastern Mediterranean and through the Arabian Peninsula (Board of Trustees, RBG Kew 2019).

Within the UAE, this species is widespread in the Hajar Mountains and Ru'us al-Jibal (Jongbloed et al. 2003, Feulner 2011), and also occurs on Jebel Hafeet (<a href=""http://data.rbge.org.uk/herb/E00377085"">RBGE Herbarium</a>; coll. J.N.B. Brown, west side of the mountain, 1983). The global range of this species is across northern Africa, the eastern Mediterranean, and through the Arabian Peninsula (Board of Trustees, RBG Kew 2019).