Taxon name
Ephedra pachyclada
Boiss.
Uploaded by
National Red List Database
Taxonomic information
Scientific name
Ephedra pachyclada
Boiss.
Assessed taxon level
Species
Higher level taxonomic groupings
Plants
Gymnosperms
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
The species is assessed as Least Concern as it occurs primarily at higher altitudes in the Hajar Mountains and the Ru'us al-Jibal, and is considered to not be subject to significant threats.
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
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).
Is there a map available in assessment?
Yes
Habitat and systems
Ecological system type
Habitat
Habitat details as listed in assessment
This is a small perennial shrub, up to 1 m in height (Jongbloed et al. 2003). It is found on rocky flats.
Threats and conservation measures listed
Threats listed in assessment
The species is not grazed significantly. Development of land for agriculture and amenity use is the primary threat, but does not occur throughout its range. This is a high elevation species in the UAE that may be at risk from climate change.
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.
