Taxon name
Limeum arabicum
Friedrich
Uploaded by
National Red List Database
Taxonomic information
Scientific name
Limeum arabicum
Friedrich
Assessed taxon level
Species
Higher level taxonomic groupings
Plants
Flowering Plants
Species authority
Friedrich
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
This species is relatively widespread throughout the UAE, as it grows in low sand dunes. Although grazing appears to affect the distribution of the plant, it is generally considered to be common. 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
Within the UAE this species is widespread across the southern desert of the country (Jongbloed et al. 2003, G.R. Feulner, in lit, MEW 2010). Globally, this species is native to the Gulf States, Saudi Arabia and Oman (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
It is perennial known to grow within low sand dunes (El Alqamy 2004, Jongbloed et al. 2003). The plant can reach up to 80 cm in height, has oval or round leaves which pointed tips, in addition to grey wrinkled fruit and solitary white and green flowers (Jongbloed et al. 2003). This herb species is known to be palatable (El Alqamy 2004).
Threats and conservation measures listed
Threats listed in assessment
Grazing by animals such as camels appears to reduce the distribution of this species in the Dubai Desert Conservation Reserve (El Alqamy 2004).
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.
