Within the UAE, it is found throughout the Hajar Mountains and the Ru'us al-Jibal, in addition to Jebel Hafeet (Jongbloed et al. 2003, Gillett 2009). Globally, this species occurs from Mauritania to the Arabian Peninsula, western Asia and India (Board of Trustees, RBG Kew 2019).

Within the UAE, this species is relatively widespread, except for the western part of the country (Jongbloed et al. 2003). Globally, the native range of this species spans from Macaronesia and the Mediterranean through northeast tropical Africa and on to Myanmar (Board of Trustees, RBG Kew 2019).

Within the UAE, this diminutive annual species has been recorded from the Ru'us al-Jibal (Feulner 2011). In this area, it is known to occur between 1,250 m and 2,000 m altitude (Feulner 2011). However, detailed distribution for this species within the UAE is lacking as there have only been a few records of the species (G.R. Feulner, in litt, MEW 2010). Not common in Oman, and reported only from the Musandam mountains, where it has been collected only twice, but probably missed in collections or over-looked (as with most annuals) in Oman due to their short life and dependency on rain; it is a southwest Asian species whose presence in Musandam is not unexpected (S. Ghazanfar pers. comm. 2019). Globally, the native range of this species extends across a large range, including Ukraine, China and the Arabian Peninsula (Board of Trustees, RBG Kew 2019).

Jongbloed et al. (2003) considered this species to be ""Not common but widespread in the Hajar Mountains and Ru'us al-Jibal."" The species is also recorded for Abu Dhabi Emirate by Brown and Sakkir (2004) from rocky habitats, and recorded as present in dams and water breakers in the western foothills of the Hajar Mountains by Mahmoud et al. (2018). However, the draft Red Data Book for the UAE (MEW 2010) considered the species to be unconfirmed for the UAE; ""Very similar to S. macrosiphon; Rechinger in Flora Iranica (p.445) states that there is a possibility of hybridisation with S. macrophiphon - but at present there is not enough material seen to establish the identity of S. spinosa."" Plants of the World online (Board of Trustees, RBG Kew 2020) give the native range as from northern Africa, through the Arabian Peninsula (KSA and the Gulf states) to Afghanistan, whilst Will and Claßen-Bockhoff (2014) appear to restrict the species to coastal areas of the eastern Mediterranean.

Within the UAE, this species is widespread throughout the Hajar Mountains and grows at a wide variety of altitudes (Jongbloed et al. 2003). Globally, the native range of this species spans from Macaronesia to northwestern India (Board of Trustees, RBG Kew 2019).

Within the UAE, it is known to occur within the Ru'us al-Jibal (Jongbloed et al. 2003). It tends to prefer higher elevations: it has been recorded from 900 m altitude and above within the Ru'us al-Jibal (Jongbloed et al. 2003, Feulner 2011). The species has also been recorded from Jebel Hafeet and from Wadi Helo (Karim 2002); these southern records require confirmation. The estimated extent of occurrence (EOO) for this species is around 620 km². This species is native to Europe, northern Africa and temperate Asia (Board of Trustees, RBG Kew 2019).

This species is common along the Arabian Gulf coast, the northern Hajar Mountains, the Ru'us al-Jibal, and is also found on offshore islands (Jongbloed et al. 2003). It occurs from sea level to at least 1,900 m asl (Feulner 2011). The global distribution of this species is across northern Africa, restricted in southern Europe (Sicily and Crete), through the Arabian Peninsula, to western India (Board of Trustees, RBG Kew 2019).

Within the UAE, it has been recorded from Jebel Hafeet and the Ru'us al-Jibal (Stuart and Stuart 1998, Jongbloed et al. 2003, Feulner 2011), and from the Masafi Mountains and Wadi Al Helo (Sharjah Seedbank & Herbarium; S. Gairola pers. comm. 2019), with the main concentrations recorded on Jebel Hafeet and in Ra's al-Khaimah (Western 1989). G.R Feulner noted that he has not collected this species in the UAE (in litt, MEW 2010) and has not distinguished it in the field from H. lippii (Feulner 2011). In Oman, it is considered to occur at relatively high altitudes, to 1,850 m asl (Patzelt 2015). This species is native to northern Africa and the Arabian Peninsula (Board of Trustees, RBG Kew 2019).

In the UAE, this species is widespread along both coasts and inland in the northern emirates, although absent from the Hajar Mountains (Jongbloed et al. 2003). It also occurs on offshore islands (Jongbloed et al. 2003, Sakkir et al. 2017). The global range of this species is from Cape Verde, through Africa (Sahara to Tanzania, Angola to southern Africa), the Arabian Peninsula, to India (Board of Trustees, RBG Kew 2019).

This species is known from an unconfirmed herbarium specimen from Abu Dhabi Emirate (S. Sakkir pers. comm. 2019). It is expected to occur in the UAE, although the presence of the species within the country is currently not certain (S. Ghazanfar pers. comm. 2019). The global range of this species is from Spain, across the north and north-east of Africa, through the Arabian Peninsula (Saudi Arabia, Yemen, and Oman), and the eastern Mediterranean region (Board of Trustees, RBG Kew 2019).