Commicarpus helenae | UAE National Red List of Vascular Plants

Taxa
Commicarpus helenae | (Romer & Schultes) Meikle
Publication
UAE National Red List of Vascular Plants
Location
Countries in Assessment
United Arab Emirates
Country ISO code(s)
ARE
Does the assessment cover a marine EEZ area(s)?
Off
Scope (Assessment)
National
Taxon
Taxonomic Group
Plants
Taxonomic Group Level 2
Flowering Plants
Assessed taxon level
Species
Taxonomic Notes
The taxonomy of this widespread species across the global range may merit some revision. Specimens from Oman appear to differ substantially in leaf form from those found on St Helena.
Taxon distribution as listed in assessment
Within the UAE, this species is known to occur in east coast plantations in addition to Masafi, Khatt and Wadi Hiluw in the north and the north-east of the UAE (Jongbloed et al. 2003). Globally, this species is native to Africa, western Asia, the Arabian Peninsula and India (Board of Trustees, RBG Kew 2019).
Habitats and Ecology
Ecological system type
Terrestrial system
No
Freshwater system
No
Marine system
No
Habitat
Habitat details as listed in assessment
This perennial species can grow up to 40 cm in height (Jongbloed et al. 2003). It has round to triangular leaves, club-like fruit and pink or red-purple flowers which are present between March and June (Jongbloed et al. 2003). The plant is generally recorded as growing within wadis and plantations, in addition to the foothills of mountains (Jongbleod et al. 2003, MEW 2010).
Is there a map available in assessment?
Yes
Assessed status
Asessment status in full
Least Concern
Assessment status abreviation
LC
Assessment rationale/justification
Although this species is generally described as rare, it appears to have a somewhat widespread distribution within the north and northeast of the UAE, in addition to along the east coast. Therefore, it is currently assessed as Least Concern, pending further detailed distribution data and investigation into potential threats to this species - this may warrant a change in category.
About the assessment
Assessment year
2019
Assessors/contributors/reviewers listed
UAE National Red List Workshop
Affliation of assessor(s)/contributors/reviewers listed on assessment
Government
IGO
Assessor affiliation specific
Government|IGO
Criteria system
Criteria system specifics
IUCN v3.1 + Regional Guidelines v4.0
Criteria system used
IUCN
Criteria Citation
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.
Endemism
Endemic to region
Not_assigned
Endemism Notes
Is an endemic?: Not_assigned
Conservation
Threats listed in assessment
There is no information available.
Conservation Measures

Conservation measures:
Conservation measures notes:
Required conservation measures:

Scientific Name Kingdom Phylum Class Order Family Genus
Commicarpus helenae Plantae Tracheophyta Magnoliopsida Caryophyllales Nyctaginaceae Commicarpus