Salvadora persica | UAE National Red List of Vascular Plants

Taxa
Salvadora persica | L.
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
Taxon distribution as listed in assessment
The species is used extensively as a horticultural plant along roads, in wadis and coastal areas, and is likely to have been cultivated historically for medicinal use. The species is not common in the wild in the UAE, and it is hard to differentiate truly 'wild' plants from cultivated and 'escapee' plants. Jongbloed et al. (2003) cite three wild localities in the UAE; Dubai Creek, the Shawka-Munay area, and Kalba. In addition, it is described as occurring in the Hajar Mountains, within rocky areas, in addition to Jebel Hafeet. It is cultivated in many regions of the UAE, especially in western dunes, wadis and coastal areas, and as windbreaks along roadsides (DDCR 2019). The species is native to Africa, the Middle East and the Arabian Peninsula, although the UAE is excluded by Plants of the World online (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 is a large perennial shrub to at least 3 m in height that is found in plantations, roadsides, on sand and hillsides (Jongbloed et al. 2003). It can also survive in rocky areas such as the Hajar Mountains and Jebel Hafeet.
Is there a map available in assessment?
Incomplete
Assessed status
Asessment status in full
Least Concern
Assessment status abreviation
LC
Assessment rationale/justification
Although this species is widely cultivated within the UAE, and there appears to be a question over the origin of the plant within the country, the majority of the UAE Native Plant Working Group generally accepted Salvadora persica as a native species. It remains difficult to distinguish between originally wild and cultivated populations of the species. However, it is relatively widespread throughout the country. Therefore, it is assessed as Least Concern.
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
Without detailed information on the natural distribution in the UAE, little can be said about threats.
Conservation Measures

Conservation measures:
Conservation measures notes:
Required conservation measures:

Scientific Name Kingdom Phylum Class Order Family Genus
Salvadora persica Plantae Tracheophyta Magnoliopsida Brassicales Salvadoraceae Salvadora