Within the UAE, this species is widespread in the Hajar Mountains and the Ru'us al-Jibal (MEW 2010). It can be found at altitudes up to 1,250 m (Feulner 2011). Its native range spans from Macaronesia and the Mediterranean to Iran (Board of Trustees, RBG Kew 2019).

This species is widespread in the UAE from eastern Abu Dhabi, throughout the Hajar Mountains, to the east coast (Jongbloed et al. 2003). Feulner (2016) records the species from Wadi Wurayah. The species is rare in the southern (Jebel Ayuzah) and central (western Zibat) Ru'us al-Jibal (Feulner 2011), but it is uncertain if these localities are within the UAE. The species occurs on Jebel Hafeet at medium and high altitudes (Stuart and Stuart 1998, Fawzi and Ksiksi 2012, Al Dhaheri 2017). The global distribution of this species is from northwestern and eastern Africa, widespread across the Arabian Peninsula, extending east to India (Saharo-Sindian/Irano-Turanian distribution; Freitag and Maier-Stolte 2003).

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).

The species has a mostly coastal distribution in the UAE (Jongbloed et al. 2003), with localised populations in salt marshes, streams in wadis and permanent pools (Karim and Dakheel 2006). It has been recorded from islands off Abu Dhabi northwards to Rams (Ra's al-Khaimah) e.g., at Khor Hulaylah (Llewellyn-Smith 2011). Feulner (2016) records the species from wet wadis of the Hajar Mountains but noted that it is largely absent from Shimayliyah and from the east side of the mountains in the UAE, including Wadi Wurayah National Park (Feulner 2011), although found north of the Masafi area and as far north as tributaries of Wadi Fa'y, on the southern edge of the Ru'us al-Jibal. G. Feulner (in litt. MEW 2010) that the two main areas where the species is found are Khor Hulaylah and the Abu Dhabi islands. According to participants of the National UAE Red List Workshop (15th-19th September 2019, Dubai), this species also occurs in Wadi Siji and Sharjah. J. rigidus and J. socotranus are easily confused, and confirmation of the identity of records of J. rigidus from the mountains is required. Globally, the species occurs throughout much of Africa, including Mediterranean countries, as well as scattered localities on the northern Mediterranean coast and islands, and east through the Arabian Peninsula and Asia Minor to Pakistan (Board of Trustees, RBG Kew 2019). There are also two records from Ras al-Khaimah within the RBGE Edinburgh collections.

This is a common sedge that is found in sands of coastal areas along the Arabian Gulf (Jongbloed et al. 2003, Brown et al. 2007, Mahmoud et al. 2018, Al Mehairbi et al. 2019). This species' native range is Arabian Peninsula, South Iran to Indo-China (Board of Trustees, RGB Kew 2018).

Within the UAE, this species occurs in the Hajar Mountains in oases and wet areas within plantations (Jongbloed et al. 2003, MEW 2010, Al Meharibi et al. 2019). Western (1983) reported this species (as the 'Fimbristylis sieberama' [sic.], considered here a synonym) from the Old Sewage Farm on Abu Dhabi Island; the origin and continued presence here must be in doubt, although Al Meharibi et al. (2019) cite presence there. Globally, this species spans across both the tropical and subtropical realms (Board of Trustees, RBG Kew 2019). In the Arabian Peninsula, the species is thought to occur in Saudi Arabia, UAE, and Yemen (Ghazanfar 2017).

In the UAE this species is recorded from along the Arabian Gulf coast and in the northern Hajar Mountains, including Jebel Hafeet (Jongbloed et al. 2003, Al Mehairbi et al. 2019). Globally, the native range of this species spans across the Old World (Board of Trustees, RBG Kew 2019).

Within the UAE, this species was recently recorded from Jebel Hafeet and is also known from the Ru'us al-Jibal (Feulner 2011, Sakkir and Brown 2014). It is generally found within the Hajar Mountains, although localities may be scattered (Jongbloed et al. 2003). Globally, the native range of this species encompasses southern Africa, in addition to Macaronesia to Ethiopia and Tanzania, and on to India (Board of Trustees, RBG Kew 2019).

Within the UAE, it occurs within the Hajar Mountain range and in the Ru'us al-Jibal (Jongbloed et al. 2003, Feulner 2011, 2014). In the Ru'us al-Jibal, this species has been recorded from up to at least 1,650 m altitude (Feulner 2011). Globally, the native range of this species includes Somalia and northern Africa, through to the Arabian Peninsula and Pakistan (Board of Trustees, RBG Kew 2019).

This species is widespread throughout the Hajar Mountains in the UAE (Jongbloed et al. 2003), including records from Wadi Wurayah National Park (Feulner 2016). Globally, this species occurs in North Africa, Southern Europe, the Middle East, Central Asia and Myanmar (Board of Trustees, RBG Kew 2018).