Uploaded by
National Red List Database
Taxonomic information
Assessed taxon level
Species
Higher level taxonomic groupings
Plants
Flowering Plants
Location and scope
Specific locality or subnational name or regional name
United Arab Emirates (the)
Scope (of the Assessment)
National
Countries included within the scope of the assessment
United Arab Emirates (the)
Does the assessment cover a marine EEZ area(s)?
Not_assigned
Conservation Status
Assessed as
Least Concern
Criteria system used
IUCN
(see Assessment details)
Assessment rationale/justification
Despite being described as rare within the UAE in general, this species appears to locally common within its restricted range. It is also known to occur in at least one protected area. Therefore, it is assessed as Least Concern.
Assessment details
Assessors/contributors/reviewers listed
UAE National Red List Workshop
Criteria system used
IUCN
Reference for methods given
IUCN. 2012. IUCN Red List Categories and Criteria: Version 3.1, Second edition. IUCN, Gland, Switzerland and Cambridge, UK. iv + 32pp pp. And IUCN. 2012. Guidelines for Application of IUCN Red List Criteria at Regional and National Levels: Version 4.0. Gland, Switzerland and Cambridge, UK: IUCN. iii + 41pp.
Further information
Endemism (according to assessment)
Endemic to region
Not assigned
Taxon distribution as listed in assessment
This species is widespread in the Ru'us al-Jibal and northern Hajar Mountains (Jongbloed et al. 2003, Feulner 2014). It is an annual species which can regularly be seen at high elevations. Filago desertorum has been reported among bedrock at c. 900 m, as well as from silt at Birkat al-Khalidiyah (Mandaville) up to high elevations (Feulner 2011). The global distribution of this species includes the Canary Islands, South Spain, and North Africa to Pakistan (Board of Trustees, RBG Kew 2018).
Is there a map available in assessment?
Yes
Habitat and systems
Ecological system type
Habitat
Habitat details as listed in assessment
This is an annual herb species whose flowering period takes place from February to April (Jongbloed et al. 2003, Mahmoud et al. 2018). It has silver-grey leaves and is covered in white hair (Jongbloed et al. 2003). This species can be found in silt between rocks of wadis and edges of fields, in addition to mountainous environments (Jongbloed et al. 2003, Mahmoud et al. 2018). It is also recorded as being a food plant for the Cape Hare, Lepus capenssi (Norton et al. 2009).
Threats and conservation measures listed
Threats listed in assessment
Grazing by goats may affect this species in parts of its range (Shahid 2017).
Publication
Allen, D.J., Westrip, J.R.S., Puttick, A., Harding, K.A., Hilton-Taylor, C. and Ali, H. 2021. UAE National Red List of Vascular Plants. Technical Report. Ministry of Climate Change and Environment, United Arab Emirates, Dubai.
