Arabian Gulf coast

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.
			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		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





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