It is a perennial large shrub that can grow up to 250-300 cm in height, in addition to producing yellow flowers between November and June (Jongbloed et al. 2003). This species is typically found growing in sandy plains and low dunes within the UAE (Jongbloed et al. 2003). It is often used in sand dune stabilisation and is a characteristic species of this environment (Karim and Dakheel 2006). Leptadenia pyrotechnica has been shown to have effective adaptations to low-moisture environments and is highly salt tolerant (Karim and Dakheel 2006); the root system allows the plant to survive on existing water in the soil for 4 years without any additional rainfall (Batanouny 2001). Other species, such as gazelles and oryx, use Leptadenia pyrotechnica to shelter from the sun during the day (Jongbloed et al. 2003, Gallacher and Hill 2005). L. pyrotechnica has also been noted as a potential larval food plant for the Plain Tiger butterfly (Gillett 1998). This plant also appears to co-exist with Rhanterium epapposum, which may suggest an association between the two (El Alqamy 2004).

Calotropis procera is a shrub or small tree, which generally reaches up to 2.5-4 m (max. 6) high (CABI 2018). It is known to be grazed by camels and gazelles, although this is not considered to pose a threat. However, C. procera may pose a threat to other plant species.

This small to medium evergreen tree species grows within wadi beds, coastal foothills, alluvial plains and in desert regions (Staurt and Stuart 1998, Karim and Dakheel 2006, Mahmoud et al. 2018). It can reach up to 12 metres in height and has spiny branches (Jongbloed et al. 2003, Karim and Dakheel 2006). The leaves are ovate-oblong in shape, the edible fruit is orange-yellow and ovoid, and small yellowish green flowers can be seen between September to November and March to May (Jongbloed et al. 2003, Karim and Dakheel 2006). This species is highly salt tolerant (Karim and Dakheel 2006) and is also a crop wild relative of the Jujube, Ziziphus jujuba (Kameswara Rao 2013). Ziziphus spina-christi is utilised by the Mediterranean Pierrot butterfly (Taruxus rosaceus) as a food plant for its caterpillars (Jongbloed et al. 2003).

Tamarix nilotica is found in brackish and saline sands and sabkha (Jongbloed et al. 2003).

This annual herb species is known to grow on hillsides, ravine slopes and wadis (Mousa and Fawzi 2009, Feulner 2014, Judas 2016, Mahmoud et al. 2018). It can reach up to 0.5 m in height, has triangular, fleshy leaves and terminal inflorescence flowers on thin stalks which flower between February and April (Jongbloed et al. 2003). Rumex vesicarius is a crop wild relative of sorrel, Rumex acetosa (Kameswara Rao 2013).

It is found in sandy habitats including compacted sand, disturbed soils, wadis and the silt of plantations (Jongbloed et al. 2003, Norton et al. 2009). However, it is also recorded from agricultural areas (Perry 2008) and has been described as a weed in cultivated and abandoned fields (Feulner 2011). This annual herb species has a thick taproot, fleshy branches and rosette leaves (Ghazanfar and Fisher 1998, Jongbloed et al. 2003, Mahmoud et al. 2018). It can grow up to 30 cm in height, produces small green flowers between February to April in addition to both an above ground fruit and a below ground fruit (Jongbloed et al. 2003). It is a salt tolerant plant (Karim and Dakheel 2006) and is an important contributor to biomass in dune and stabilised sand environments (Ghazanfar and Fisher 1998).

This annual or perennial herb species is known to grow within disturbed soil habitats and cultivated fields (Jongbloed et al. 2003, Mahmoud et al. 2018). It can reach up to 80 cm in height and is sometimes observed climbing on surrounding vegetation (Jongbloed et al. 2003). This species has oval leaves with smooth edges, elongated ribbed fruit with short hairs and light pink flowers arranged in clusters, which can be seen between December and May (Jongbloed et al. 2003).

The species is found in sandy plains and in gravel except at higher altitudes (Jongbloed et al. 2003, MEW 2010). It is a perennial woody shrub up to 1.0 mor more in height (Jongbloed et al. 2003).

It is a perennial dwarf shrub species that is able to grow within a wide range of habtiats. These include sand sheets and rocky headlands along the coast (Brown et al. 2007, Böer and Saenger 2006), in addition to coralline sands, limestone slopes and mountain terraces (G. Brown pers. comm. 2019). This species grows as a prickly shrub of up to 60 cm in height and flowers between October and December (Karim and Dakheel 2006). It is also considered to be a halophyte, salt-tolerant, species (Karim and Dakheel 2006). Cistanche tubulosa uses this species as a host plant (Brown et al. 2007). Cornulaca monacantha is generally an unpalatable species, which helps to protect it from grazers.

This species is found in sand in disturbed areas, and by roadsides (Jongbloed et al. 2003). Karim and Dakheel (2006) recorded the habitat as steppes and deserts, mainly on sandy and salty soils, flowering from January to June. It is an annual herb, up to 0.5 m high (DDCR 2019).