PlANT
DIVERSITY OF SAUDI ARABIA
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Invasive species |
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Invasive alien species have distressing impacts on native biota, causing
decline or even extinctions of native populations. All major invasions
are due to deliberate or unintentional actions of humans, birds, animals
and, to a certain extent, due to traffic across the
borders. Though
majority of introductions have only minor impacts to the ecosystem, some
of them led to numerous problems.
The vegetation of Saudi Arabia,
particularly of the plant diversity hotspots in the southwestern region including some of the Red
Sea Islands is inundated by the influx of several alien plants. Fifty
two
exotic species have been recorded from Saudi Arabia, some of which have
entered and naturalized in the Kingdom several decades ago.
Among these, 44 are from American continents, 4 from
Tropical countries, 2 from Australis and one each from East Asia, South Asia
and Iran. All major invasive species in Saudi Arabia are native to
American Continents.
Among
these, the species that potentially damaging the biodiversity or
altering the ecosystems in general are: Argemone ochrolecuca, Nicotiana glauca,
Opuntia dellenii, O. ficus-indica, Prosopis juliflora and
Trianthema portulacastrum.
Prosopis juliflora is the most troublesome
invasive species in majority of places in Tihama. Among the
major invaders, four species (Argemone
ochroleuca, Nicotiana glauca, Opuntia dellenii, O. ficus-indica,)
have been seen in areas above 1000 meters while Prosopis
juliflora and Trianthema portulacastrum have been observed in
areas below 800 m and in areas between 100-1500 m respectively.
Opuntia
spp. showed a preference for warm and dry climates and are common on the
east facing slopes of southwestern highlands; while N. glauca
responded well to low temperature and high precipitation rates. P.
juliflora, Argemone spp. and Nicotiana glauca illustrated a strong
association with high levels of human influence, proximity to urban and
disturbed areas
Vegetation of the
northwestern Hijaz Mountain is less affected by invasions. Only P. juliflora and Cuscuta campestris are the major exotic species
seen among the
communities of lowlands and slopes of the mountains. The influence of exotic species
in the central and eastern regions are also less significant.
P. juliflora,
Cuscuta campestris, Cenchrus echinatus, Euphorbia spp., Verbesina encelioides, Leucaena
leucocephala,
Prosopis koelziana, etc. are the main invaders spotted among
native plant populations.
Unlike the southern islands in the Red Sea (Farasan Al-Kabir), islands
of Arabian Gulf are devoid of exotic species, except for a few
Prosopis juliflora plants close to the farms of one of the inhabited
islands, Jana Island, off Jubail coast. |
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Species |
Family |
Geographical Distribution |
Habit |
Degree of Infestation |
Alternanthera pungens |
Amaranthaceae |
Southwestern Mountains |
Herb |
Low |
Amaranthus albus |
Amaranthaceae |
Central, Eastern and Western regions |
Herb |
Low |
Amaranthus hybridus |
Amaranthaceae |
Throughout Saudi Arabia |
Herb |
Low |
Amaranthus spinosus |
Amaranthaceae |
Southwestern mountains |
Herb |
Low |
Annona squamosa |
Annonaceae |
Southwestern mountains (Jabal Fayfa) |
Tree |
Low |
Argemone mexicana |
Papaveraceae |
Southwestern mountains |
Herb |
Medium |
Argemone ochroleuca |
Papaveraceae |
Southwestern mountains |
Herb |
High |
Astrocylindropuntia subulata
(Presence not confirmed) |
Cactaceae |
Southwestern mountains |
Shrub |
Low |
Atriplex suberecta |
Chenopodiaceae |
Central and eastern regions |
Herb |
Medium |
Bidens aurea |
Asteraceae |
Southwestern mountains |
Herb |
Low |
Cenchrus echinatus |
Leguminosae |
Central, eastern western and northern regions |
P. grass |
Medium |
Cenchrus setigerus |
Poaceae |
Southwestern mountains |
P. grass |
Low |
Dysphania carinata
(=Chenopodium carinatum) |
Amaranthaceae |
Southwestern mountains |
Herb |
Medium |
Chenopodium atrovirens |
Amaranthaceae |
Central region |
Herb |
Low |
Chenopodium desiccatum
ssp. leptophylloides |
Amaranthaceae |
Central region |
Herb |
Low |
Cuscuta campestris |
Cuscutaceae |
Central , eastern and northern regions |
Herb |
Medium |
Cylindropuntia rosea |
Cactaceae |
Southwestern region |
Shrub |
Low |
Datura ferox |
Solanaceae |
Southwestern region |
Herb |
Low |
Datura innoxia |
Solanaceae |
Through out Saudi Arabia |
Herb |
Medium |
Datura metel |
Solanaceae |
Southwestern region |
Herb |
Low |
Datura stramonium |
Solanaceae |
Southwestern region |
Herb |
Medium |
Dysphania ambrosioides |
Amaranthaceae |
Central and southwestern r |
Herb |
Low |
Eclipta prostrata |
Asteraceae |
Central |
Shrub |
Low |
Encelia farinosa |
Asteraceae |
Southwestern region |
Shrub |
Low |
Euphorbia cyathophora |
Euphorbiaceae |
Eastern Province |
P. Herb |
Low |
Euphorbia heterophylla |
Euphorbiaceae |
Eastern province |
P. herb |
Low |
Euphorbia hirta |
Euphorbiaceae |
Throughout Saudi Arabia |
Herb |
Medium |
Euphorbia hypercifolia |
Euphorbiaceae |
Central and Western regions |
Herb |
Low |
Euphorbia maculata |
Euphorbiaceae |
Central region |
Herb |
Low |
Euphorbia prostrata |
Euphorbiaceae |
Central region |
Herb |
Low |
Euphorbia tirucalli |
Euphorbiaceae |
Southwestern region |
Shrub/Tree |
Low |
Galinsoga parviflora |
Asteraeae |
Southwestern region |
Shrub |
Low |
Heliotropium curassavicum |
Boraginaceae |
Eastern, central and southwestern regions |
Herb |
Low |
Ipomoea carnea ssp. fistulosa |
Convolvulaceae |
Tihama, SW region |
Shrub |
High |
Jatropha curcas |
Euphorbiaceae |
Southwestern region |
Shrub |
Low |
Lantana camara |
Verbenaceae |
Southwestern mountains |
Shrub |
Medium |
Leucaena leucocephala |
Leguminosae |
Central, eastern and southern reigons |
Tree |
Medium |
Malvastrum coromandelianum |
Malvaceae |
Central region |
P. Herb |
Low |
Nicotiana glauca |
Solanaceae |
Asir and Jazan Mountains |
Shrub |
High |
Operculina turpethum |
Convolvulaceae |
Southwestern region |
P. Herb |
Low |
Opuntia dellenii |
Cactaceae |
Southwestern region |
Shrub |
High |
Opuntia ficus-indica |
Cactaceae |
Southwestern region |
Shrub |
High |
Opuntia stricta |
Cactaceae |
Southwestern region |
Shrub |
Presence in Saudi Arabia Not Confirmed |
Parthenium hysterophorus |
Asteraceae |
Southwestern region |
Herb |
Medium |
Paspalum dilatatum |
Poaceae |
Southwestern region |
Annual |
Low |
Physalis peruviana |
Solanaceae |
Tihama, SW region |
Herb |
Low |
Physalis stepelioides |
Solanaceae |
Tihama, SW region |
Herb |
Low |
Potamogeton perfoliatus |
Potamogetonaceae |
Central region |
P. Herb |
Low |
Prosopis juliflora |
Leguminosae |
All regions in Saudi Arabia |
Tree |
High |
Prosopis koelziana |
Leguminosae |
Central region |
Tree |
Medium (High in Wadi Hanifa) |
Senna occidentalis |
Leguminosae |
Central and western regions |
Shrub |
Medium |
Senna obtusifolia |
Leguminosae |
Southwestern region |
Shrub |
Low |
Sesuvium portulacastrum |
Aizoaceae |
Eastern and central region |
P. Herb |
Low |
Sesuvium verrucosum |
Aizoaceae |
Central and Western region |
Herb |
Low |
Tagetes minuta |
Asteraceae |
Southwestern region |
P. Herb |
Medium |
Trianthema portulacastrum |
Aizoaceae |
Southwestern region |
Herb |
Medium |
Tridax procumbens |
Asteraceae |
Southwestern region |
Herb |
Medium |
Verbesina encelioides |
Asteraceae |
Southwestern region |
Herb |
Medium |
Xanthium spinosum |
Asteraceae |
Southwestern region |
P. Herb |
Low |
Species |
Altitudinal variations (in meters) |
Impact on Domestic herds
|
Mode of dispersal
|
Propagation
|
0-
500 |
501-
1000 |
1001-
2000 |
2001-
3000 |
Alternanthera pungens |
* |
* |
* |
|
May cause skin problems to cattle |
Seeds transported by shoes, water, wheels or
animals |
Seeds |
Amaranthus albus |
* |
* |
|
|
Excessve quantity may cause problems to livestock |
Wind, water, farm machinery |
Seeds |
Amaranthus hybridus |
* |
* |
* |
|
No toxic effects reportted |
Propagules transported through wind and water
curents, soil transport |
Seeds |
Amaranthus spinosus
|
* |
* |
* |
* |
No toxic effects reportted |
Wind, water, animals |
Seeds |
Annona squamosa |
|
|
* |
|
No toxic effects reportted |
Birds |
Seeds |
Argemone mexicana
|
|
|
* |
* |
The yellow sap is Toxic |
Wind and water |
Seeds |
Argemone ochroleuca |
|
|
* |
* |
The yellow sap is Toxic |
Wind and water |
Seeds |
Austrocylindropuntia subulata
|
|
|
* |
* |
Fruits edible. Spines hazardous to animals |
Baboons, Through detached pads. |
vegetative and seeds |
Atriplex suberecta |
* |
|
|
|
Unpalatable |
Wind and water |
Seeds |
Bidens aurea |
|
|
|
* |
Palatable |
Wind , water, animals, shoes |
Seeds |
Cenchrus echinatus |
* |
* |
|
|
Achens are hazardous |
Cloths, shoes, animals, plant dumping |
Seeds |
Cenchrus gracillimus |
* |
* |
|
|
Achens are hazardous |
Cloths, shoes, animals, plant dumping |
Seeds |
Cirsium vulgare |
|
|
* |
* |
Unpalatable |
wind, water, cloths |
seeds |
Chenopodium atrovirens |
* |
|
|
|
Unpalatable |
wind, water |
Seeds |
Chenopodium desiccatum ssp.
leptophylloides |
* |
|
|
|
Unpalatable |
wind, water |
Seeds |
Cuscuta campestris |
* |
* |
|
|
Unpalatable |
Stem parasite. Through infestation. |
Seeds |
Cylindropuntia rosea |
|
|
* |
|
Unpalatable |
Moving vehicles, shoes |
Vegetative |
Datura ferox |
|
|
* |
|
Unpalatable Wind, water, cloths or through
dumping sites |
|
Seeds |
Datura innoxia |
* |
|
|
|
unpalatable |
Wind, water, cloths or through dumping sites |
Seeds |
Datura metel |
|
|
* |
|
unpalatable |
Wind, water, cloths or through dumping sites |
Seeds |
Datura stramonium |
* |
|
|
|
unpalatable |
Wind, water, cloths or through dumping sites |
Seeds |
Dysphania ambrosioides |
* |
* |
* |
|
Unpalatable. It can cause dizziness, vomiting,
convulsions and even death |
Water |
Seeds |
Dysphania carinata
|
* |
|
|
|
Unpalatable |
Wind and water or from dumping site |
Seeds |
Eclipta prostrata |
* |
* |
|
|
Palatable. Also widely used as a medicinal plant |
Water and wind |
Seeds |
Encelia farinosa |
|
|
* |
|
Palatable |
Wind |
Seeds |
Erigeron bonariensis |
* |
* |
* |
* |
Unpalatable |
Wind and water, also As a contaminant of manure |
Seeds |
Erigeron canadensis |
|
|
* |
* |
Unpalatable |
Wind and water, also as a contaminant of manure |
Seeds |
Euphorbia cyathophora |
|
* |
|
|
unpalatable |
as a contaminant of manure |
Seeds |
Euphorbia heterophylla |
|
* |
|
|
unpalatable |
As a contaminant of manure |
Seeds |
Euphorbia hirta
|
* |
* |
* |
* |
Unpalatable. Toxic |
Wind. Also as a contaminant of manure. |
Seeds |
Euphorbia hypercifolia |
* |
|
|
|
Unpalatable. Toxic |
Wind. Also as a contaminant of manure. |
Seeds |
Euphorbia maculata |
|
* |
|
|
Unpalatable. Toxic |
As a contaminant of manure. |
Seeds |
Euphorbia prostrata
Aiton |
|
* |
|
|
Unpalatable. Toxic |
As a contaminant of manure. |
Seeds |
Euphorbia tirucalli |
|
* |
* |
|
Unpalatable. Toxic |
Vegetative |
Vegetative |
Flaveria trinervia |
* |
* |
* |
* |
Unpalatable |
Water |
Seeds |
Galinsoga parviflora |
|
* |
|
|
No toxic effects reportted |
Wind. Also as a contaminant of manure. |
Seeds |
Heliotropium curassavicum |
* |
|
|
|
Toxic |
Water |
Seeds |
Ipomoea cairica |
* |
* |
* |
* |
Unpalatable |
Water |
Seeds |
Ipomoea carnea ssp. fistulosa
|
* |
|
|
|
Toxic |
As a contaminant of manure |
Seeds |
Jatropha curcas |
* |
* |
|
|
Toxic |
As a contaminant of manure |
Seeds |
Lantana camara |
|
* |
* |
* |
Toxic |
Water |
Seeds |
Leucaena leucocephala |
* |
* |
|
|
Unpalatable |
Wind and water |
Seeds |
Lythrum hyssopifolia
. |
|
* |
|
|
Unpalatable |
Wind, water |
Seeds |
Malvastrum coromandelianum
|
|
* |
|
|
Unpalatable |
Wind and water |
Seeds |
Nicotiana glauca |
|
|
* |
* |
Unpalatable |
Wind and water |
Seeds |
Operculina turpethum |
* |
|
|
|
Unpalatable |
Wind and water |
Seeds |
Opuntia ficus-indica |
|
* |
* |
* |
Fruits edible. Spines hazardous to animals |
Baboons, Through detached pads. |
vegetative and seeds |
Opuntia stricta |
|
* |
* |
* |
Fruits edible. Spines hazardous to animals |
Baboons, Through detached pads. |
vegetative and seeds |
Paspalum dilatatum |
* |
|
|
|
Unpalatable |
Wind and water |
Seeds |
Physalis peruviana
|
* |
|
|
|
Palatable |
Wind and water |
Seeds |
Physalis stepelioides |
* |
|
|
|
Fruits edible |
Birds, from dumping site |
Seeds |
Potamogeton perfoliatus |
* |
|
|
|
Fruits edible |
Birds, from dumping site |
Seeds |
Prosopis juliflora |
* |
|
|
|
unpalatable |
Water |
vegetative and seeds |
Salsola kali |
* |
* |
* |
|
Fruit Palatable |
Wind, from livestock excreta |
Seeds |
Senna occidentalis |
|
|
* |
* |
seedlings palatable |
Wind, water, from dumping site |
Seeds |
Senna obtusifolia |
* |
|
|
|
Unpalatable |
From dumping site |
Seeds |
Sesuvium portulacastrum |
|
|
* |
|
Unpalatable |
From dumping site |
Seeds |
Sesuvium verrucosum |
* |
|
|
|
Unpalatable |
From dumping site |
Seeds |
Tagetes minuta |
* |
|
|
|
Unpalatable |
From dumping site |
Seeds |
Trianthema portulacastrum |
|
|
* |
* |
Unpalatable |
Wind, water |
Seeds |
Tridax procumbens
|
* |
* |
|
|
Unpalatable |
From dumping site |
Seeds, also vegetatively |
Verbesina encelioides |
|
* |
* |
* |
Unpalatable |
Wind, water, also from dumping site |
Seeds |
Xanthium spinosum |
* |
* |
* |
|
Unpalatable |
Wind, water, from dumping site |
Seeds |