Wadi Lajab Wadi Lajib

Wadi Lajab

Wadi Lajab, (N 17⁰ 21' 5.5" E 42⁰ 49' 4.2" ) is a 40 km long wadi, of which an approximately 10 km long area is a deep canyon,. It is situated in the Al-Rayth area, north-east of Baysh of Jazan Province. The Lajab gourge is an important plant diversity hotspot and one of the most spectacular landforms in Saudi Arabia, similar to Wadi Qaraqir, north of Saudi Arabia. It is one of the oldest widyan draining systems flanked by steep sand stone walls and a floor of 10-60 m width. Heavy rains are expected during summer months causing flash floods along the wadi floor. Flash floods and the seeping water from side walls often create a narrow stream on the wadi bed and occasional water falls for almost all months a year. The terrain is almost inaccessible due to the presence of small and large boulders along wadi bed. The seeping sandstone wall support lush green vegetation, comprised of several rare and endangered species, mostly found only in Wadi Lajab. Although the area is becoming increasingly important for recreational activities, the difficult terrain is not easy for visitors and therefore the overall vegetation is less altered in the entire area. Wadi beds and canyon walls are dominated by Breonadia salicina, Ficus cordata ssp. salicifolia, Maesa lanceolata, Mimusops laurifolia, Nuxia oppositifolia, Rhamnus lycoides ssp. oleoides and Trichelia emetica. There are several other plants such as Epipactis veratrifolia, Periploca visciformis, Pisonia aculeata, etc are appear to be rare in the area and are reported from Wadi Lajab alone. Flora of the wadi is comparatively rich. About 277 species in 72 families are reported from Wadi Lajab, of which 28 families are represented by a single species.

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Flora of Wadi Lajab (Lejib)				*Phoenix caespitosa*
Acanthaceae	Anisotes	trisulcus	(Forssk.) Nees
	Barleria	trispinosa	(Forssk.) Vahl
	Barleria	bispinosa	Forssk.
	Blepharis	ciliaris	(L.) B.L. Burtt.
	Crossandra	johannianae	Fiori
	Ecbolium	viride	(Forssk.) Alston
	Ecbolium	gymnostachyum	(Nees) Milne Redh.
	Hypoestes	forsskaolii	(Vahl) R.Br.
	Justicia	flava	(Vahl) Vahl
	Justicia	heterocarpa	T. Anderson
	Ruellia	patula	Jacq.
	Ruellia	grandiflora	(Fossk.) Blatter
	Ruellia	patula	Jacq.
	Ruellia	pratermissa	Schweinf. ex Lindau
Aizoaceae	Aizoon	canariense	L.
Aloeaceae	Aloe	officinalis	Forssk.
Amaranthaceae	Achyranthes	aspera	L.
	Aerva	javanica	(L.) Juss. ex Schult.
	Aerva	lanata	(L.) Juss. ex Schult.
	Alternanthera	pungens	Kunth
	Amaranthus	graecizans	L.
	Amaranthus	lividus	L.
	Celosia	trigyna	L.
	Chenopodium	ambrosioides	L.
	Chenopodium	carinatum	R.Br.
	Chenopodium	murale	L.
	Chenopodium	schraderianum	Schultes
	Pupalia	lappacea	(L.) Juss.
Amaryllidaceae	Scadoxus	multiflorus	(Martyn) Raf.	*Breonadia salicina*
Anacardiaceae	Pistacia	falcata	Becc.
	Rhus	abyssinica	Hochst. ex Oliv.
	Rhus	retinorrhea	Steud.
Apiaceae	Foeniculum	vulgare	Mill.
Apocynaceae	Adenium	obesum	(Forssk.) Roem. & Schult.
	Calotropis	procera	(Ait) R.Br.
	Caralluma	retrospiciens	Ehrenb.
	Carissa	edulis	(Forssk.) Vahl
	Catharanthus	roseus	(L.) G. Don
	Gomphocarpus	fruticosus	(L.) Ait f.
	Kanahia	laniflora	(Forssk.) R.Br.
	Periploca	visciformis	(Vatke) K. Schum.
	Rhytidocaulon	macrolobum	Lav.
Aristolochiaceae	Aristolochia	bracteolata	Lam.
Asteraceae	Calendula	tripterocarpa	Rupr.
	Calendula	arvensis	L.
	Conyza	incana	(Vahl) Willd.
	Doellia	bovei	(DC.) Anderb.
	Eclipta	prostrata	(L.) L.
	Erigeron	bonariensis	(L.) Cronquist
	Erigeron	trilobus	(Decne.) Boiss.
	Flaveria	trinervia	(Spreng.) Mohr.
	Helichrysum	glumaceum	DC.
	Klenia	anteuphorbium	(L.) DC.
	Klenia	pendula	(Forssk.) DC.
	Launaea	capitata	(Spreng.) Dandy
	Launaea	massauensis	(Fresen.)Sch. Bip.
	Launaea	massauensis	(Fres.) Chiov.
	Pluchea	dioscoridis	(L.) DC.
	Pulicaria	crispa	(Forssk.) Benth
	Pulicaria	schimperi	DC.
	Pulicaria	petiolaris	Jaub. & Spach.
	Pulicaria	schimperi	DC.
	Pulicaria	arabica	(L.) Cass
	Pulicaria	undulata	(L.) C.A. May
	Reichardia	tingitana	(L.) Roth.
	Senecio	flavus	(Decne.) Sch.-Bip. ex A. Rich.
	Sonchus	oleraceus	L.
	Tridax	procumbens	L.
	Verbesina	encelioides	(Cav.) A. Gray
	Vernonia	cinerascens	Sch.Bip.
Barbeyaceae	Barbeya	oleoides	Schweinf.
Boraginaceae	Cordia	sinensis	Lam.
	Ehretia	abyssinica	R.Br. ex Fresen
	Heliotropium	longiflorum	(Hochst. & Steud.) Jaub. & Spach.
	Heliotropium	strigosum	Willd.
	Heliotropium	arbainense	Fresen.
	Heliotropium	longiflorum	Steud. & Hochst.
	Trichodesma	ehrenbergii	Schweinf. Ex Boiss.
Brassicaceae	Sisymbrium	irio	L.
	Sisymbrium	erysimoides	Desf.
Cannabaceae	Celtis	africana	Burm.
	Trema	orientalis	(L.) Blume
Capparaceae	Capparis	cartilaginea	Decne.
	Capparis	tomentosa	Lam.
	Cleome	gynandra	L.
	Cleome	ramosissimum	(Lehm.) DC.
	Cleome	scaposa	DC.
	Cleome	viscosa	L.
	Maerua	crassifolia	Forssk.
Caryophyllaceae	Arenaria	foliaceae	Turril
	Cometes	abyssinica	R.Br.
	Gypsophila	capillaris	(Forssk.) C. Christ.
	Loeflingia	hispanica	L.
	Spergula	fallax	(Lowe)Krause
Celastraceae	Maytenus	sp.
	Maytenus	senegalensis	(Lam.) Exell
Combretaceae	Combretum	molle	R. Br. ex G.Don.
	Terminalia	brownii	Fresen.
Commelinaceae	Commelina	benghalensis	L.
	Commelina	africana	L.
Convolvulaceae	Evolvulus	alsinoides	(L.) L.
	Ipomoea	obscura	(L,) Ker.-Gawl.
Cucurbitaceae	Citrullus	colocynthis	(L.) Schrader
	Kedrostis	foetidissima	(Jacq.) Cogn.
	Zehneria	scabra	(L.f.) Sond
Cyperaceae	Cyperus	alternifolius	L.
	Schoenus	nigricans	L.
Dracaenacee	Dracaena	ombet	Kot. & Peyr.
Ebenaceae	Euclea	schimperi	(A.DC.) Dandy
	Diospyros	mespiliformis	Hocst.
	Sansevieria	ehrenbergii	Schweinf. Ex Bak.
Euphorbiaceae	Acalypha	fruticosa ssp. schimperi	Forssk.
	Acalypha	indica	L.
	Acalypha	racemosa	Wall ex Bail.
	Euphorbia	consobrina	N.E. Br.
	Euphorbia	granulata	Forssk.
	Euphorbia	indica	Lam.
	Fluggea	virosa	(Roxb. ex Willd.) Voigt
	Jatropha	glauca	Vahl
	Ricinus	communis	L.
Fumariaceae	Fumaria	parviflora	Lam.
	Fumaria	abyssinica	Hammar
Geraniaceae	Geranium	ocellatum	Jacquem ex Cambess.
	Geranium	trilophum	Boiss.
Lamiaceae	Endostemon	tereticaulis	(Poir) Ashby
	Lavandula	coronopifolia	Poir.
	Lavandula	pubescens	Decne.
	Orthosiphon	pallidus	Royle ex Benth.
	Orthosiphon	thymiflorus	(Roth) Steesen
	Leucas	alba	(Forssk.) Sebald
	Leucas	glabrata	(Vahl) Sm.
	Micromeria	imbricata	(Forssk.) C. Chr.
	Ocimum	forsskolei	Benth.
	Ocimum	filamentosum	Forssk.
	Otostegia	fruticosa ssp. schimperi	(Benth.) Sebald
Lauraeae	Cassytha	filiformis	L.
	Abrus	bottae	Defl.
Leguminosae	Abrus	precatorius	L.
	Acacia	asak	(Forssk.) Willd.
	Acacia	ehrenbergiana	Hayne.
	Acacia	mellifera	Vahl
	Acacia	origena	Asfaw
	Acacia	seyal	Del.
	Anagyris	foetida	L.
	Cadia	purpurea	(G. Piccioli) Aiton
	Indigofera	articulata	Gouan
	Indigofera	spiniflora	Boiss.
	Indigofera	spinosa	Forssk..
	Senna	italica	Mill.
	Senna	occidentalis	(L.) Link.
	Tamarindus	indica	L.
	Tephrosia	nubica	(Boiss.) Bak.
Loganiaceae/Buddlejaceae	Nuxia	oppositifolia	Hochst.
Loranthaceae	Phragmanthera	austroarabica	A. G. Miller & J. Nyberg
Lythraceae	Ammania	baccifera	L.
Malvaceae	Abutilon	bidentatum	A. Rich
	Abutilon	fruticosum	Guill. & Perr.
	Abutilon	pannosum	(Forst.f.) Schlecht.
	Fioria	vitifolia	(L.) Mattei
	Hibiscus	deflersii	Schweinf. ex Cufod.
	Hibiscus	dongolensis	Del.
	Hibiscus	deflersii	Schweinf. ex Cufod.
	Hibiscus	micranthus	L.
Meliaceae	Trichilia	emetica	Vahl
Molluginaceae	Corbichonia	decumbens	(Forssk.) Exell.
	Glinus	lotoides	L.
Moraceae	Ficus	cordata ssp. salicifolia	(Vahl) C.C. Berg.
	Ficus	palmata	Forssk.
	Ficus	sycomorus	L.
	Ficus	vasta	Forssk.
Moringaceae	Moringa	peregrina	(Forssk.) Fiori
Myrsinaceae	Maesa	lanceolata	Forssk.
Myrtaceae	Syzygium	guineense	(Willd.) DC.
Nyctaginaceae	Boerhavia	diffusa	L.
	Commicarpus	grandiflorus	(A. Rich.) Stand.
	Commicarpus	helenae	(Roem. & Schultes) Meikle
	Commicarpus	plumbagineus	(Cav.) Stand.
	Pisonia	aculeata	L.
Oleaceae	Jasminum	grandiflorum	(R.Br. Ex Fresen.) P.S. Green
	Olea	europaea ssp. cuspidata	(Wall ex Don) Cifferi
Orchidaceae	Epipactis	veratrifolia	Boiss. & Hohen.
Oxalidaceae	Oxalis	corniculata	L.
Palmaceae	Phoenix	caespitosa	Chiov.
	Phoenix	reclinata	Jacq.
Papaveraceae	Argemone	mexicana	L.
	Argemone	ochroleuca	Sweet.
Passifloraceae	Adenia	venenata	Forssk.
Phyllanthaceae	Andrachene	aspera	Spreng.
	Phyllanthus	rotundifolius	Klein ex Willd.	Epipactis veratrifolia
Plantaginaceae	Campylanthus	pungens	O. Schwartz.
Poaceae	Bromus	sericeus	Drobov.
	Chloris	barbata	Swartz
	Cynodon	dactylon	(L.) Pers.
	Dactyloctenium	aristatum	Link.
	Eragrostis	barrelieri	Dav.
	Ochthochloa	compressa	(Forssk.) Hilu
	Paspalidium	desertorum	(A. Rich.) Stapf
	Poa	annua	L.
	Aristida	mutabilis	Trin. & Rupr.
	Arthraxon	prionodes	(Steud.) Dandy
	Brachiaria	deflexa	(Schum.) C. Hubb. ex Robyns
	Brachiaria	reptans	(L.) C.A. Gardner & C.E. Hubb.
	Brachiaria	leersioides	(Hochst.) Stapf
	Cenchrus	ciliaris	L.
	Chloris	gayana	Kunth.
	Dactyloctenium	aegyptium	(L.) Willd.
	Dichanthium	foveolatum	(Del.) Roberty
	Digitaria	velutina	(Forssk.) P. Beauv.
	Echinochloa	colona	(L.) Link.
	Eleusine	indica	(L.) Gaertn.
	Enneapogon	lophotrichus	Chiov. ex H. Scholz & P. Konig
	Enteropogon	macrostachyus	(Vahl) K. Schum.
	Eragrostis	ciliaris	(L.) R.Br.
	Eragrstis	papposa	(Roem. & Schultes) Steud.
	Heteropogon	contortus	(L.) Beauv. Ex Roem. & Schult.
	Hyparrhenia	hirta	(L.) Stapf.
	Pennisetum	setaceum	(Forssk.) Chiov.
	Rhynchelytrum	repens	(Willd.) C. E. Hubbard
	Rostraria	pumila	(Desf.) Tzvelev
	Setaria	verticillata	(L.) P. Beauv.
	Tetrapogon	tenellus	(Roxb.) Chiov.
	Tetrapogon	villosus	Desf.
Polygalaceae	Polygala	abyssinica	R.Br. ex Fresen
Polygonaceae	Oxygonum	sinuatum	(Hochst. & Steudel) Dammer
	Rumex	vesicarius	L.
Polypodiaceae	Adiantum	incisum	Forssk.
Portulacaceae	Portulaca	oleracea	L.
	Portulaca	quadrifida	L.
	Talinium	portulacifoliium	(Forssk.) Asch. ex Schweinf.
Primulaceae	Anagallis	arvensis	L.
	Samolus	valerandi	L.
Pteridophytes	Adiantum	capillus-veneris	L.
	Pteris	vittala	L.
Resedaceae	Ochradenus	baccatus	Delile
Rhamnaceae	Rhamnus	disperma	Ehrenb. ex Boiss.
	Rhamnus	lycoides ssp. oleoides	(L.) Jahandez & Maire
	Ziziphus	mucronata	Willd.
Rubiaceae	Breonadia	salicina	(Vahl) Hepper & J.R.I. Wood
	Pentas	lanceolata	(Forssk.) Deflers
	Psydrax	schimperiana	(A.Rich.) Bridson
Salvadoraceae	Salvadora	persica	L.
Sapindaceae	Dodonaea	angustifolia	L.f.
Sapotaceae	Mimusops	laurifolia	(Forssk.) Friis
Scrophulariaceae	Lindenbergia	indica	(L.) Kuntz.
	Schweinfurthia	pterosperma	A. Braun.
	Scrophularia	arguta	Sol.
	Scoparia	duclis	L.
	Verbascum	yemense	Defl.
	Veronica	polita	Fr.
Solanaceae	Datura	ferox	L.
	Datura	stramonium	L.
	Physalis	minima	L.
	Solanum	nigrum	L.
	Solanum	forsskalii	Dunal	Adenium obesum
	Solanum	incanum	L.
	Solanum	schimperianum	Hochst. Ex. A. Rich
	Solanum	surattense	Burm.f.
	Solanum	villosum	Mill.
	Withania	somnifera	(L.) Dunal
Tamaricaceae	Tamarix	senegalensis	DC.
Tiliaceae	Corchorus	olitorius	L.
	Corchorus	trilocularis	L.
	Grewia	velutina	(Forssk.) Lam.
	Grewia	erythraea	Schweinf.
	Grewia	tenax	(Forssk.) Fiori
Urticaceae	Forsskaolea	tenacissima	L.
	Forsskaolea	viridis	Ehrenb. Ex Desf.
	Paretaria	debilis	G.Frost
Velloziaceae	Xerophyta	arabica	(Bak.) N. Menezes
Verbenaceae	Chascanum	marrubifolium	Fenzl ex Walp.
	Phyla	nodiflora	(L.) Greene
	Priva	adhaerens	(Forssk.) Chiov.
Violaceae	Hybanthus	enneaspermus	(L.) F. Muell.
Vitaceae	Cissus	quandrangularis	L.
	Cissus	rotundifolia	Vahl
Zygophyllaceae	Balanites	aegyptica	(L.) Del.
	Fagonia	bruguieri	DC.
	Tribulus	terrestris	L.

Significant number of rare species have been reported from adjacent areas such as Qahar Region or Jabal Al Aswad area. Following is a list of such species which may also present in Wadi Lajab.

Apocynaceae - Heurnia laevis

Apocynaceae - Sarocostemma viminale

Apocynaceae - Caralluma solenophora

Apocynaceae - Ceropegia rupicola

Asparagaceae - Albuca pendula

Asteraceae - Cichorium bottae

Burseraceae - Commiphora gileadensis

Burseraceae Commiphora myrrha

Commelinaceae -Cyanotis nyctitrope

Euphorbiaceae - Euphorbia balsamifera ssp. adenensis

Euphorbiaceae - Eurphorbia fruticosa

Gentianaceae - Swertia polynectaria

Lamiaceae - Plectranthus arabicus

Leguminosae - Delonix elata

Malpigiaceae - Caucanthus edulis

Palmaceae - Hyphene thebaica

Poaceae - Pogonatherum paniceum

Salvadoraceae - Dobera glabra

Scrophulariaceae- Kickxia scalarum

Written and managed by Dr. Jacob Thomas, Dept. of Botany & Microbiology, College of Science, King Saud University, Riyadh, Saudi Arabia.