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.

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).

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).

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.

This species is recently reported for the UAE, with records from Fujairah (Wadi Ham dam), Ras Al Khaimah (Wadi Al Qowr dam, Wadi Al Mansab dam, Wadi Al Mudaynah dam, Wadi Shawkah dam, Wadi Al Qasheesh dam, and Wadi Sfini dam) (Mahmoud et al. 2016). The native range is of this species is given as tropical and subtropical Old World by Plants of the World Online (Board of Trustees, RBG Kew 2019). Mahmoud et al. (2016) give the native range as Eurasia and Africa, stating that the species has become widespread in tropical, subtropical and warm-temperate areas worldwide (El-Hamidi et al. 1967). Regionally, it has been recorded in Saudi Arabia, Oman, Yemen and Socotra, as well as the UAE (Mahmoud et al. 2016).

The species is common and widespread in the Hajar Mountains in eastern UAE (Jongbloed et al. 2003). Feulner (2011) records the species from a single native site ('Ayn as-Sih, wadi al-'Ayn) in the Ru'us al-Jibal, however this locality is in Oman. The species is also considered native to Abu Dhabi Emirate (S. Sakkir pers. comm. 2018), but the distribution there is uncertain, and its use as an ornamental plant in Abu Dhabi city is also reported. The species is listed as an introduced plant by MoCCaE (O. Al Shamsi pers. comm. 2019) and Al Mehairbi et al. (2019). The species is considered to be native from West and Central Asia to temperate East Asia, although only the 'Gulf States' is referred to, not the UAE specifically (Board of Trustees, RBG Kew 2019). GRIN (2019) cite only Saudi Arabia in the Arabian Peninsula; the true native distribution is obscure (CABI 2019).

The origin and distribution of this species in the UAE requires confirmation. The species is only listed, without details, in Jongbloed et al. (2003), while G.R. Feulner (in lit. MEW 2010) comments that the species is not found in natural wetland sites (e.g. wadi pools) in the UAE, only in dam reservoirs, scrapes, and in artificial ponds. Globally, this species is native to Africa, the Mediterranean, the Arabian Peninsula and Iran (Board of Trustees, RBG Kew 2019). Whilst Plants of the World Online includes the UAE in the global distribution of the species, the current global assessment of this species excludes the UAE, only including Yemen within the Arabian Peninsula.

Within the UAE, it has been recorded from the dam at Khor Fakkan, in the Emirate of Fujairah (Böer and Chaudhary 1999). It is also known from dams in Hatta and Al Manama. In the Arabian Peninsula, it occurs in other countries including Saudi Arabia (Chaudhary 2001), Oman (Miller and Morris 1988), Yemen (Wood 1997) and Socotra (Miller and Morris 2004), however, the draft Red List assessment of this species for the Arabian Peninsula (A. Patzelt and S.G. Knees) does not list the UAE in its distribution, and the origin of the species in the UAE requires confirmation, given its occurrence in anthropogenic sites. Globally, this species is widespread across cosmopolitan areas of North and South America, Europe, Asia, Africa and Australasia (Board of Trustees, RBG Kew 2019).

Within the UAE, Jongbloed et al. (2003) reported this species from a small number of scattered locations in the eastern UAE (Abu Dhabi, Al Ain, Ras al Khaimah). Survey data from the Sharjah Seedbank & Herbarium show additional scattered records (Hatta, coastal Ras al-Khaimah and eastern Sharjah). Feulner (2016) reported this species from Wadi Wurayah National Park (pools at the base of the Wadi Wurayah waterfall and along the wadi above), an area that is intensively used by tourists; the origin of the species here requires confirmation. The species has an enormous global distribution in temperate and subtropical regions (Board of Trustees, RBG Kew 2018).