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).

Within the UAE, this species is known from scattered locations typically within the north and east of the UAE, however there is also a record from close to Dubai (Jongbloed et al. 2003, Feulner 2011). Globally, this species has a wide ranging native distribution, spanning across temperate Eurasia and northern Africa (Board of Trustees, RBG Kew 2019).

Within the UAE, this species is widespread in the Hajar Mountains and the Ru'us al-Jibal (MEW 2010). It can be found at altitudes up to 1,250 m (Feulner 2011). Its native range spans from Macaronesia and the Mediterranean to Iran (Board of Trustees, RBG Kew 2019).

This species is widespread in the UAE from eastern Abu Dhabi, throughout the Hajar Mountains, to the east coast (Jongbloed et al. 2003). Feulner (2016) records the species from Wadi Wurayah. The species is rare in the southern (Jebel Ayuzah) and central (western Zibat) Ru'us al-Jibal (Feulner 2011), but it is uncertain if these localities are within the UAE. The species occurs on Jebel Hafeet at medium and high altitudes (Stuart and Stuart 1998, Fawzi and Ksiksi 2012, Al Dhaheri 2017). The global distribution of this species is from northwestern and eastern Africa, widespread across the Arabian Peninsula, extending east to India (Saharo-Sindian/Irano-Turanian distribution; Freitag and Maier-Stolte 2003).

Within the UAE, this species is restricted to higher altitudes (over 1,200 m asl) in the Ru'us al-Jibal (Jongbloed et al. 2003, G.R. Feulner in lit., MEW 2010) and from c.800 m in the 'Olive Highlands' in the Hajar Mountains (MEW 2010, Feulner 2016). The species is absent from Wadi Wurayah (Feulner 2016) but present in Wadi Helo National Park (El-Keblawy et al. 2016). The species occurs in adjacent parts of the Musandam Peninsula in Oman (Rothfels et al. 2012). It is also known from Jebel Malaiha in Sharjah Emirate (Sharjah Seedbank & Herbarium). This species native range is Sinai (Egypt) to Pakistan (Board of Trustees, RBG Kew 2019).

The species has a mostly coastal distribution in the UAE (Jongbloed et al. 2003), with localised populations in salt marshes, streams in wadis and permanent pools (Karim and Dakheel 2006). It has been recorded from islands off Abu Dhabi northwards to Rams (Ra's al-Khaimah) e.g., at Khor Hulaylah (Llewellyn-Smith 2011). Feulner (2016) records the species from wet wadis of the Hajar Mountains but noted that it is largely absent from Shimayliyah and from the east side of the mountains in the UAE, including Wadi Wurayah National Park (Feulner 2011), although found north of the Masafi area and as far north as tributaries of Wadi Fa'y, on the southern edge of the Ru'us al-Jibal. G. Feulner (in litt. MEW 2010) that the two main areas where the species is found are Khor Hulaylah and the Abu Dhabi islands. According to participants of the National UAE Red List Workshop (15th-19th September 2019, Dubai), this species also occurs in Wadi Siji and Sharjah. J. rigidus and J. socotranus are easily confused, and confirmation of the identity of records of J. rigidus from the mountains is required. Globally, the species occurs throughout much of Africa, including Mediterranean countries, as well as scattered localities on the northern Mediterranean coast and islands, and east through the Arabian Peninsula and Asia Minor to Pakistan (Board of Trustees, RBG Kew 2019). There are also two records from Ras al-Khaimah within the RBGE Edinburgh collections.

This is a common sedge that is found in sands of coastal areas along the Arabian Gulf (Jongbloed et al. 2003, Brown et al. 2007, Mahmoud et al. 2018, Al Mehairbi et al. 2019). This species' native range is Arabian Peninsula, South Iran to Indo-China (Board of Trustees, RGB Kew 2018).

Within the UAE, this species occurs in the Hajar Mountains in oases and wet areas within plantations (Jongbloed et al. 2003, MEW 2010, Al Meharibi et al. 2019). Western (1983) reported this species (as the 'Fimbristylis sieberama' [sic.], considered here a synonym) from the Old Sewage Farm on Abu Dhabi Island; the origin and continued presence here must be in doubt, although Al Meharibi et al. (2019) cite presence there. Globally, this species spans across both the tropical and subtropical realms (Board of Trustees, RBG Kew 2019). In the Arabian Peninsula, the species is thought to occur in Saudi Arabia, UAE, and Yemen (Ghazanfar 2017).

In the UAE this species is recorded from along the Arabian Gulf coast and in the northern Hajar Mountains, including Jebel Hafeet (Jongbloed et al. 2003, Al Mehairbi et al. 2019). Globally, the native range of this species spans across the Old World (Board of Trustees, RBG Kew 2019).