Plant Diversity in Saudi Arabia Arabian Gulf Coast. |
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Rising gradually towards the inland, the coastal sandy area along the Arabian Gulf extends from Ras as-Saffaniyah in the north to Jafurah desert in the south. Compared to the northern part of the coastal zone, the southern part is covered with deep sand. Sabkhas are common in these areas, some of them have a surface area of hundreds of square kilometers. Although sabkhas are devoid of any vegetation, its peripheral areas hold significant number of halophytes. Greater part of the coastal zone is with mobile sand dunes. However, in areas where the dunes are fixed and covered by less mobile sands, the vegetation is rich. Some parts of the coastal zone, such as Al-Uqair provide habitats suitable for the establishment of wild date palms and Tamarix senegalensis. In general most of the areas are with ill drained saline formations, barren rocks and moving sands. In areas where the soil is loamy, provide a good substratum for herbaceous cover. |
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Coastal flora | |||||||||
Aizaoaceae Aizoon canariense A. hispanicum Mesembryanthemum forsskalei Mesembryanthemum nodiflorum Sesuvium portulacastrum Sesuvium verrucosum Zaleya pentandra
Asphodelaceae Asphodelus tenuifolius
Asteraceae Atractylis mernephthae Carthamus oxyacantha Ifloga spicata Launaea capitata Launaea mucronata Launaea nudicaulis Rhanterium epapposum Senecio glaucus Sonchus oleraceus
Boraginaceae Arnebia decumbens Arnebia hispidissima Gastrocotyle hispida Helitotropium digynum Heliotropium arbainense Heliotropium bacciferum Heliotropium curassavicum Heltiotropium pterocarpum Heliotropium ramosissimum Moltkiopsis ciliata
Brassicaceae Cakile arabica Savignya parviflora
Caryophyllaceae Gypsophila capillaris Herniaria hemistemon Polycarpaea repens Silene villosa
Chenopodiaceae Agriophyllum minus Anabasis setifera Arthrocnemum macrostachyum Atriplex farinosa Atriplex leucoclada Bassia eriophora Bassia muricata Binertia cycloptera Chenopodium album Chenopodium murale Cornulaca monacantha Halocnemum stobilaceum Halopeplis perfoliata Halothamnus bottae Halothamnus iraqensis Haloxylon salicornicum Salicornia europaea Salsola spinescens Salsola cyclophylla Salsola drummondii Salsola imbricata Seidletizia rosmarinus Suaeda aegyptiaca Suaeda maritima Suaeda vermiculata
Cistaceae Helianthemum lippii
Convolvulaceae Convolvulus buschiricus Cressa cretica Ipomoea pes-caprae
Cynomoriaceae Cynomoium coccineum
Cyperaceae Cyperus conglomeratus Cyperus arenarius
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Frankeniaceae Frankenia pulverulenta
Geraniaceae Erodium laciniatum Monsonia nivea
Juncaceae Juncus rigidus
Leguminosae Astragalus annularis Lotus garcinii Lotus halophilus Melilotus indicus
Malvaceae Malva parviflora Malva neglecta
Neuradaceae Neurada procumbens
Orobanchaceae Cistanche phelypaea
Plantaginaceae Plantago boissieri
Plumbaginaceae Limonium carnosum Limonium axillare
Poaceae Aeluropus lagopoides Cenchrus ciliaris Centropodia forsskalii Cynodon dactylon Halopyrum mucronatum Leptochloa fusca Panicum turgidum Pennisetum divisum Phragmites australis Polypogon monsepeliensis Sporobolus ioclados
Polygnaceae Calligonum comosum
Polygonaceae Calligonum comosum Rumex vesicarius
Resedaceae Oligomeris linifolia
Rubiaceae Kohautia caespitosa
Solanaceae Lycium shawii
Tamaricaceae Tamarix aucheriana Tamarix senegalense
Verbenaceae Avicennia marina
Zygophyllaceae Fagonia bruguieri Fagonia indica Fagonia ovalifolia Nitraria retusa Tetraena simplex Zygophyllum album Zygophyllum coccineum Zygophyllum hamiense var. hamiense Zygophyllum hamiense var. mandavillea Zygophyllum hamiense var. qatarense
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Written and maintained by Dr. Jacob Thomas, Dept. of Botany & Microbiology, King Saud University, Riyadh, Saudi Arabia. |
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