Arabian Gulf Coast
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