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