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
Data Deficient
Criteria system used
IUCN
(see Assessment details)
Assessment rationale/justification
Both T. nilotica and T. arabica have been cited for the UAE. There is ongoing uncertainty over the identity of the species and, until that is resolved, we include both species, but consider T. arabica to be Data Deficient pending confirmation of its status and distribution with respect to T. nilotica.
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
The draft Red Data Book for UAE plants (MEW 2010) considered this species to be common along the Gulf coast and adjacent salt flats in the sandy deserts in the south of the Emirates. It has also been recorded from Al Ain area. Jongbloed et al. (2003) considered T. nilotica the valid name with T. arabica as a synonym, giving the distribution as along the Arabian Gulf coastline, as well as in sandy desert areas with near-surface brackish water.
Is there a map available in assessment?
Not possible
Habitat and systems
Ecological system type
Habitat
Habitat details as listed in assessment
The habitat for both Tamarix arabica and T. nilotica is described as saline sand and sandy desert areas that have brackish groundwater close to the surface (Jongbloed et al. 2003), including poorly drained soils. These species are said to have clasping triangle leaves, small pink flowers (present from December to February) in addition to a conical capsule fruit (Jongbloed et al. 2003).
Threats and conservation measures listed
Threats listed in assessment
The species is likely to have been impacted by coastal development.
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.
