Hafar Al-Batin
A general view of Hafar Al Batin area during Spring. (Photos courtesy- Awad Al Saroor)
Located near the borders of Kuwait and Iraq, Hafar Al-Batin is part of Wadi Al-Batin, a wide valley and a tributary of the ancient cross country river valley Wadi Al–Rummah, originating from Jordan and pass through the northern and central provinces and finally emptied into the Arabian Gulf. The areas of Hafar Al Batin is large shallow depression with mounds and ridges. Weather is generally dry, characterized by hot summers (40-48˚C) and mild winter (10-15˚C). Rainfall is generally sparse, ranging from 20 to 50 mm/year. The eastern lowland generally formed of limestone and calcium rich sedimentary rocks, except for low altitude hillocks of 50-60m, This lowland area gradually elevate and merge with the eastern edge of the As Summan plateau. Vegetation is generally of an open xeromorphic dwarf shrublands. Dominant species such as Haloxylon salicornicum, Rhanterium epapposum, Vachellia gerrardii, Vachellia faba, Vachellia tortilis, Ziziphus nummularia, Lycium shawii, etc. often form mono populations or in association with one or two other species. Majority of species in the area are ephemerals belonging to Brassicaceae and Asteraceae families which sprout immediately after first showers in early winter and often give a single or muticoloured look to majority of open plains and shallow depressions during spring. Dwarf shrub communities such as Rhanterium epapposum, Pulicaria undulata, etc. on the other hand wither off the branches with the onset of summer and later produce new branches towards the end of winter.
A provisional list of wild species reported from Hafar Al Batin area.
Aaronsohnia factorovskyi Asteraceae
Achillea fragrantissima Asteraceae
Aerva javanica Amaranthaceae
Alhagi graecorum Leguminosae
Allium sindjarense Alliaceae
Allium ampeloprasum Liliaceae
Alyssum homalocarpum Brassicaceae
Amranthus viridis Amranthaceae
Anabasis lachnantha Chenopodiaceae
Anisosciadium lanatum Apiaceae
Anthemis deserti Asteraceae
Anthemis edumea Asteraceae
Anvillea garcinii Asteraceae
Aristda adscensions Poaceae
Arnebia decumbens Boraginaceae
Arnebia hispidissima Asteraceae
Artemisia judaica Asteraceae
Artemisia monosperma Asteraceae
Artemisia scoparaia Asteraceae
Artemisia sieberi Asteraceae
Asphodelus tenufolius Asphodelaceae
Asteriscus graveolens Asteraceae
Astragalus corrugatus Leguminosae
Astragalus haurensis Leguminosae
Astragalus seiberi Leguminosae
Astragalus spinosus Leguminosae
Atractylis carduus Asteraceae
Atriplex leucoclada Chenopodiaceae
Bassia eriophora Chenopodiaceae
Bassia muricata Chenopodiaceae
Blepharis ciliaris Acanthaceae
Calendula arvensis Asteraceae
Calendula officinalis Asteraceae
Calligonum comsum Polgyonaceae
Calotropis procera Asclapidaceae
Capparis cartilaginea Capparaceae
Capparis spinosa Capparsaceae
Carrichtera annua Brassicaceae
Carthamus lanatus Asteraceae
Caylusea hexagyna Resedaceae
Chenopodium album Chenopodiaceae
Chenopodium murale Chenopodiaceae
Chrozophora oblongifolia Euphorbiaceae
Chrozophora tinctoria Euphorbiaceae
Citrullus colocynthis Cucurbitaceae
Cleome amblyocarpa Capparaceae
Cleome rupicola Capparaceae
Colchicum ritchii Colchicaceae
Convolvulaus prostrata Convolvulaceae
Convolvulus arvensis Convolvulaceae
Convolvulus austro-aegyptiacus Convolvulaceae
Convolvulus oxyphyllus ssp. oxycladus Convolvulaceae
Convolvulus pilosellifolius Convolvulaceae
Cucumis prophetarum Cucurbitaceae
Cuscuta campestris Cuscutaceae
Cynodon dactlyon Poaceae
Cyperus conglomerata Cyperaceae
Cyperus involucratus Cyperaceae
Diplotaxis acris Brassicaceae
Diplotaxis harra Brassicaceae
Echinops Asteraceae
Echinops hussoni Asteraceae
Emex spinosa Polygonaceae
Ephedra foliata Ephedraceae
Eremobium lineare Brassicaceae
Erodium laciniatum Geraniaceae
Eruca sativa Brassicaceae
Euphorbia aegyptiaca Euphorbiaceae
Fagonia bruguieri Zygophyllaceae
Fagonia indica Zygophllaceae
Fagonia mollis Zygophyllaceae
Forskoalea tenacissima Urticaceae
Gagea reticulata Liliaceae
Galium decaisnei Rubiaceae
Gomphocarpus sinaicus Asclepiadaceae
Haloxylon salicornicum Chenopodiaceae
Helianthemum lippii Cistaceae
Helianthemum sessifliflorum Cistaceae
Heliotropium lasiocacarpum Boraginaceae
Herniaria hirsuta Caryophyllaceae
Hippocrepis bicontorta Leguminosae
Hirschfeldia incana Brassicaceae
Hordeum murinum Poaceae
Horwoodia dicksoniae Brassicaceae
Hyoscyamus muticus Solanaceae
Hypecoum pendulum Papaveraceae
Ifloga spicata Asteraceae
Isatis lusitanica Brassicaceae
Juncus rigidus Juncaceae
Kickxia aegyptiaca Scrophulariaceae
Lactuca saligna Asteraceae
Lactuca serriola Asteraceae
Lasiurus scindicus Asteraceae
Launaea nudicaulis Asteraceae
Launea capitata Asteraceae
Launea intybacea Asteraceae
Lavandula pubescens Lamiaceae
Lepidium aucheri Brassicaceae
Leysera leyseroides Asteraceae
Limonium thouinii Plumbaginaceae
Loeflingia hispanica Caryophyllaceae
Lotus halophilus Leguminosae
Lycium shawii Solanaceae
Malva sylvestris Malvaceae
Matricaria aurea Asteraceae
Medicago laciniata Leguminosae
Merua crassifolia Capparaceae
Morettia parviflora Brassicaceae
Neurada procumbens Neuradaceae
Ochradenus baccatus Resedaceae
Paronychia chlorothyrsa Caryophyllaceae
Peganum harmala Zygophyllaceae
Pennisetum divisum Poaceaee
Periploca aphylla Asclepiadaceae
Phoenix canarienisis Palmae
Picris abyssinca Asteraceae
Picris babylonica Asteraceae
Plantago afra Plantaginaceae
Plantago boissieri Plantaginaceae
Plantago ciliata Plantaginaceae
Polycarpaea repens Caryophyllaceae
Polygala negevensis Polygalaceae
Portulaca oleracea Portulacaceace
Prosopis juliflora Leguminosae
Pulicaria schimperi Asteraceae
Pulicaria crispa Asteraceae
Pulicaria incisa Asteraceae
Pulicaria undulata Asteraceae
Pulicaria vulgris Asteraceae
Reaumuria hirtella Tamaricaceae
Reseda muricata Resedaceae
Retama raetam Leguminosae
Rhanterium epapposum Asteraceae
Rhus tripartita Anacardiaceae
Ricinus communis Euphorbiaceae
Rumex vesicarius Polygonaceae
Salsola imbricata Chenopodiaceae
Salvia aegyptiaca Lamiaceae
Salvia spinosa Lamiaceae
Salvia deserti Lamiaceae
Scabiosa palaestina Dipsacaceae
Schimpera arabica Cruciferae
Schismus barbatus Poaceae
Senna italica Leguminosae
Solanum nigrum Solanaceae
Sonchus olaraceae Asteraceae
Spergula fallax Caryophyllaceae
Spergularia diandra Caryophyllaceae
Stipa capensis Poaceae
Stipagrostis plumosa Poaceae
Suaeda aegyptiaca Chenopodiaceae
Tamarix nilotica Tamaricaceae
Tancetum santolinoides Asteraceae
Teucrium oliverianum Lamiaceae
Teucrium polium Lamiaceae
Traganum nudatum Chenopodiaceae
Tribulus parvispinus Zygophyllaceae
Tribulus teristris Zygophyllaceae
Trichodesma africanum Boraginaceae
Trigonella hamosa Leguminosae
Vachellia faba Leguminosae
Vachellia gerrardii Leguminosae
Vachellia tortilis Leguminosae
Verbascum near fruticulosum Scrophulariaceae
Xanthium strumarium Asteraceae
Zilla spinosa Brassicaceae
Ziziphus nummularia Rhamnaceae
Ziziphus spina-christi Rhamnaceae
Zygophyllum simplex Zygophyllaceae
