The species is widespread in the eastern half of the UAE and is also present on offshore islands (Jongbloed et al. 2003). The species has not been found in the Ru'us al-Jibal, however, it may exist in the mountains (Feulner 2011). Al Mehairbi et al. (2019) show a much broader and more continuous distribution, extending west well into Abu Dhabi Emirate. The species is considered introduced to the UAE by MoCCaE (O. Al Shamsi pers. comm. 2019) and by Al Mehairbi et al. (2019). The species is widely distributed across the globe (Board of Trustees, RBG Kew 2019). It is found in south-east Europe, North Africa, Macaronesia, the western Indian Ocean, Asia (Arabia, China, India, Indochina, Malaysia, and Papua New Guinea). It is considered to be introduced to Australia, the Pacific, and the Americas (Board of Trustees, RBG Kew 2019). The native distribution of this species is uncertain, although it is considered native to Africa (Heuzé et al. 2015) and perhaps the Near East.

This species is known from the Ru'us al-Jibal and from the Al Ain area (Jongbloed et al. 2003, Feulner 2011). It has been reported from elevations between sea level to around 800 m (Gupta 2013). Globally, this species is native to the Arabian Peninsula, India and the surrounding countries: Southeast Asia, Indonesia and northern Australia (Board of Trustees, RBG Kew 2018). It has been introduced to eastern Africa, Central America and northern South America (Board of Trustees, RBG Kew 2018).

Within the UAE, the species is known to occur in Abu Dhabi Emirate (Phillips et al. 2002) in addition to Dubai. The AOO of this species is estimated to be around 3,000 km² (H.S. Das pers. comm. 2019). The number of threat-based locations is estimated to be greater than ten, due to the multiple patches of seagrass found along the UAE coastline. The native range of this species spans from the Red Sea area to Madagascar and on to the Pacific (Board of Trustees, RBG Kew 2019).

There are literature records for UAE (e.g. specimen by U. Deil in Jongbloed et al. 2003), however no recent records or mentions of this species have been found for the UAE, and its presence needs confirmation. This is also emphasised by the lack of specimens in neighbouring Oman. Globally, this species is known from the tropics and subtropics across the world (Board of Trustees, RBG Kew 2019).

Within the UAE, this species was recorded from a brackish pool of Ayn al Faida, close to Jebel Hafeet (Böer 1998). The native range of this species spans across the Americas, Europe, Africa, temperate and tropical Asia and Australasia (Board of Trustees, RBG Kew 2019).

This species has been recorded from the Ru'us al Jibal (Wadi Beh; Böer and Chaudhary 1999) and from the Hatta Hills in the Hajar Mountains, where it is rare (MEW 2010), and from the 'Olive Highlands' area (Feulner 2014). Chamberlain (1996): Recorded from Saudi Arabia and Yemen (N & S) but no specimens have been seen. Distributed widely across the temperate parts of Eurasia and northern Africa and introduced in America and Australia.

This is an occasional species that is found near groundwater in wadis or springs in the Hajar Mountains in the eastern UAE (Jongbloed et al. 2003). It is more common in the Hajar Mountains than in the Ru'us al-Jibal, where it is known from a single site ('Ayn as-Sih; Feulner 2011) in Oman. This plant species has a cosmopolitan global distribution (Board of Trustees, RBG Kew 2018).

The species was collected from the UAE, in 1991, from a pool along the Sweihan Road (Abu Dhabi Emirate, c. 35 km east of Abu Dhabi International airport; Western 1992; <a href=""http://data.rbge.org.uk/herb/E00325788"">RBG Edinburgh Herbarium</a>). However, due to development in this area, it may now be the case that this temporary pool no longer exists. The species has an almost global distribution (Board of Trustees, RBG Kew 2019).

Within the UAE, it is known to occur in Al Ain, Abu Dhabi, R'as al-Khaimah and Fujairah (Böer and Saenger 2006, Karim and Dakheel 2006). It has also been recorded from offshore islands of Abu Dhabi (Sakkir et al. 2017). Al Mehairbi et al. (2019) show its presence through the Hajar Mountains and in scattered localities, including in and around Abu Dhabi city, but do not show presence on the islands. The species is listed as an introduced landscape plant by MoCCaE (O. Al Shamsi pers. comm. 2018). Globally, the native range of this species spans across temperate, subtropical and tropical mountain areas (Board of Trustees, RBG Kew 2019).

In the UAE, this species is known from the Hajar Mountains and from the Mazyad Oasis close to Jebel Hafeet (Jongbloed et al. 2003, M. Jongbloed pers. comm. 2019). Globally, the species occurs as a native species throughout most of Africa and around the Mediterranean basin, and has been very widely introduced across Asia and to the Americas (Board of Trustees, RBG Kew 2019). It is not listed as occurring in the UAE by Plants of the World Online, and is also considered doubtful for Oman.