This species appears to be known from a small number of mostly old records. R.A. Western collected the species in 1982 from Umm an-Nar between the old and new Abu Dhabi airports (<a href=""http://data.rbge.org.uk/herb/E00140039"">RBGE Herbarium</a>), and again in 1982 from an adjacent site: a small island close to the new airport (<a href=""http://data.rbge.org.uk/herb/E00140044"">RGBE Herbarium</a>). The continued presence of the species in this area requires confirmation due to the extensive development that has occurred since the species was collected. Jongbloed et al. (2003) mention the species without localities, simply stating that it occurs along the Arabian Gulf coast. The global range of this species is through the Arabian Peninsula to Iran and Pakistan (Board of Trustees, RBG Kew 2019). Farsetia heliophila is also known to occur in the Musandam in Oman.

In the UAE, this species was recorded by M. Jongbloed from the base of Jebel Hafeet (Jongbloed et al. 2003). The distribution is uncertain as a result of confusion with other members of the genus, particularly Fagonia indica (MEW 2010). The global distribution of the species is from Egypt in the west to Pakistan in the east and to Kenya and Somalia in the south (Beier 2005). This is one of the most widespread species in Oman (S. Ghazanfar pers. comm. 2019).

Within the UAE it is known from a single low altitude locality within the Ru'us al-Jibal (Feulner 2011). Globally, this species is native to Africa, the Arabian Peninsula and through to Pakistan according to Plants of the Wold online (Board of Trustees, RBG Kew 2019). However, there appears to be some uncertainty; Randall (2017) considers it a weed, dispersed by humans and livestock, that is native to Africa, whilst Pahlevani (2017) considers it native to Asia (Saudi Arabia and Yemen only) and Africa.

Within the UAE, this species is recorded from the foothills of the Hajar Mountains, however, detailed distribution information was not given by Jongbloed et al. (2003). Sharjah Seedbank & Herbarium hold records from scattered localities through the Hajar Mountains; Wadi Al Bih, Safsaf area, Al Manama, Kedra, Dibba-Khor Fakkan, Al Bithnah, and Hatta. It was not recorded from the Ru'us al-Jibal by Feulner (2011) or from Wadi Wurayah National Park by Feulner (2016). Globally, the native range of this species extends from Egypt to the Arabian Peninsula (Board of Trustees, RBG Kew 2019).

Within the UAE it has been recorded from Wadi Hayl in Fujairah Emirate (Jongbloed et al. 2003). The record mentioned from the Ru'us al-Jibal (Feulner 2011) is from within Oman. Globally, this species is native to Macaronesia and the Sahara to India (Board of Trustees, RBG Kew 2019).

Within the UAE, this species only been recorded from Wadi Siji, in the northeast of the country (Jongbloed et al. 2003). Globally, this species occurs from central and north-east Africa, to the Arabian Peninsula, Iran and India (Board of Trustees, RBG Kew 2019).

This species appears to be known from a small number of isolated records in eastern Abu Dhabi Emirate (Jongbloed et al. 2003), including records from Al Ain city and from northwest of Abu Dhabi city (Sharjah Seedbank & Herbarium) and from Wadi Al Ain (Mousa and Fawzi 2009). Mahmoud et al. (2018) reported this species from gravel plains below the western slopes of the Hajar Mountains, but without specific localities. The draft Red Data Book for the UAE (MEW 2010) excluded this species on the basis that no confirmed specimens had been seen. Convolvulus pilosellifolius is easily confused with C. prostratus in the Arabian Peninsula (Wood et al. 2015) which may impact the known distribution of this species. The native range of this species is from eastern parts of North Africa, the eastern Mediterranean to Central Asia and Pakistan (Board of Trustees, RBG Kew 2019).

Within the UAE, this species has been recorded from north of Masafi (A.R. Western, in Jongbloed et al. 2003; G.R. Feulner pers. comm. 2019). MEW (2010) considered it to occur in the foothills of the mountains. D. Aplin recently found the species in a narrow, steep-sided, north-facing wadi in metamorphic rocks c.1 km north of Al Khulaybiyah, north of Masafi, in the Emirate of Fujairah (D. Aplin pers. comm. 2019). Further investigations would be needed to determine if this is an isolated population. Globally, this species is native from Eastern Africa (Somalia), through the eastern Arabian Peninsula, to Iran, Pakistan and India (Board of Trustees, RBG Kew 2019).

Within the UAE this species has been recorded as a weed species from traditional agricultural plantations on the Gulf of Oman coast, both at the coast (Mirbah) and within the mountains (Wadi Safad) (G.R. Feulner pers. comm. 2019). It is also considered to grow at foothills of mountains (MEW 2010). Globally, this species is native to Socotra, Sinai, the Arabian Peninsula, Pakistan and India (Board of Trustees, RBG Kew 2019).

This species has been recorded in inland areas of the UAE (Shwayb and Al Ain) (Jongbloed et al. 2003, El-Keblawy 2012). A single specimen is held by RBGE Herbarium, <a href=""http://data.rbge.org.uk/herb/E00357808"">collected from near Shwayb</a>. The EOO is estimated at between 4,500 and 5,500 km², however, the AOO cannot be estimated as detailed locality data are not available. The species is found across North Africa, from the western Sahara to northeast Africa, through the Arabian Peninsula, to southern Iran (Board of Trustees, RBG Kew 2019).