The species is mentioned by Jongbloed et al. (2003) without details. The species has been recorded from Jebel Hafeet (Sakkir and Brown 2014) and from Fujairah (RBG Edinburgh Herbarium; Jebal Ruwaydah at the head of Wadi Sidakh). More recent surveys confirm that the species is abundant in deserts in the northern Gulf (G. Brown pers. comm. 2019). The native range of this species is along Mediterranean coastal countries of North Africa to Ethiopia, and the eastern Mediterranean (from Greece eastwards), through the Arabian Peninsula, to Mongolia (Board of Trustees, RBG Kew 2019). The species has become widespread and invasive in arid and semi-arid regions of North America and Australia (CABI 2019).

Within the UAE, this species is generally considered to be widespread throughout northern parts of the country (Jongbloed et al. 2003, Al Mehairbi et al. (2019). It is known to occur in Al Ain and Dubai (Karim and Dakheel 2006), and in the Ru'us al-Jibal the species has been recorded from elevations up to 1,350 m (Feulner 2011). Al Mehairbi et al. (2019) show it to be absent from parts of the western coast of Abu Dhabi Emirate. Globally, the native range of this species is from Italy (Sicily) and Greece, through much of Africa, through the Arabian Peninsula, and east to the Indian Subcontinent (Board of Trustees, RBG Kew 2019). It has been very widely introduced outside this native range.

Within the UAE, this species is recorded from higher elevations in the Ru'us al-Jibal (Feulner 2011). Brown and Sakkir (2004) report the species from rocky habitats in Abu Dhabi Emirate, without details. The draft Red Data Book for the UAE considered the species to be common in the northern region of the UAE (MEW 2010). The full distribution is not clear as a result of confusion with other members of the genus in the UAE. Globally, this species has a broad distribution that ranges from the eastern Sahara to Afghanistan in Asia (Clayton et al. 2006), being known from northeastern africa (Sudan, Egypt, including the Sinai Peninsula), Palestine, Israel, Jordan, Saudi Arabia, Oman, Yemen, and around the Persian Gulf reaching Iraq, Iran and Afghanistan. Records indicate a distribution in altitude that can range between 500 and 1,200 m asl across its global range (Ghasemkhani et al. 2008).

This species has been recorded in the UAE (Jongbloed et al. 2003), although detailed information regarding its distribution is lacking. Globally this species occurs in Egypt and the Arabian Peninsula (Board of Trustees, RBG Kew 2018).

Within the UAE, the species has been recorded in Wadi Bih within the Ru'us al-Jibal (Böer and Chaudhary 1999, Jongbloed et al. 2003, Feulner 2011); the elevation range requires confirmation. Feulner notes a second unconfirmed locality at high elevations of around 1,300 m (Feulner 2011). Globally, the species occurs in North Africa, Greece, Turkey, much of the Middle East, India and Central Asia (Board of Trustees, RBG Kew 2018).

The species is widespread along the Arabian Gulf coast from west of Abu Dhabi city to Ras al-Khaimah, along the east coast, and through the Hajar Mountains to Al Ain (Jongbloed et al. 2003). This species has a very broad native distribution in the Old World according to Plants of the World Online (Board of Trustees, RBG Kew 2018), however, according to CABI (2018) the species has its centre of origin in the Mediterranean region, but has since spread widely throughout the tropics and sub-tropics.

In the UAE, the species occurs within the Hajar Mountains and along the east coast (Jongbloed et al. 2003), and has also been recorded from Jebel Hafeet, including Wadi Tarabat (Sakkir and Brown 2014, EAD (S. Sakkir pers. comm. 2019). The origin of the species in the UAE has been questioned, and the UAE native plant working group (June 2019) did not reach a consensus on this species. The species has a wide global distribution through Africa and southern Europe to East Asia (Board of Trustees, RBG Kew 2019). The species is found throughout Oman (in sandy and rocky wadis, beside roads, near cultivation, and in disturbed and waste ground; S. Ghazanfar pers. comm. 2019). Elsewhere in the Arabian Peninsula found in Bahrain, Saudi Arabia, and Yemen (S. Ghazanfar pers. comm. 2019).

Within the UAE, it has been recorded from the Ru'us al-Jibal where it is known from all elevations (Jongbloed et al. 2003). It is known to occur as far north as Jebel Jais and has also been recorded from Wadi Naqab (M. Tsaliki pers. comm. 2019). Its range extends into the northern Hajar Mountains, and an unidentified Galium species has been recorded from Wadi Wurayah National Park (Feulner 2016). The origin of the species in the UAE requires confirmation, and the species is considered introduced to the UAE by MoCCaE (O. Al Shamsi pers. comm. 2018). The global native range of this species is obscure and it is considered to be be very widely introduced and naturalised (GRIN 2019). Plants of the World Online considers it to be native to Europe, northern Africa and temperate and tropical Asia (Board of Trustees, RBG Kew 2019). It has also been introduced to the Americas, Greenland and Australasia (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). It is considered to occur at all elevations and up to at least 1,525 m in the Ru'us al-Jibal (Jongbloed et al. 2003, Feulner 2011). Globally, the native range of this species spans across Africa. Macaronesia, the Mediterranean and to Pakistan (Board of Trustees, RBG Kew 2019).

Within the UAE, this plant has been recorded in Dubai, Al Ain, Fujairah, Abu Dhabi, the Ru'us al-Jibal and the Hajar Mountains (Jongbloed et al. 2003, Karim and Dakheel 2006, Feulner 2011). Globally, the native range of this species extends from northern Africa and the Mediterranean to the Arabian Peninsula and India (Board of Trustees, RBG Kew 2019).