Jabal Lawz
Jabal Lawz is the highest mountain in the northern Hijaz, reaching up to 2562 masl. Located north of Tabuk City, Jabal Lawz is one of the coldest areas in Saudi Arabia, often covered by snow during winter. The entire mountain range extends into 464 km2. It is bounded on the south by Wadi Houi, north by Wadi Hajy and west and east by Wadi Afal and Wadi Al Abyad respectively. Unlike other mountain ranges of southern Saudi Arabia, Jabal Lawz ascends gradually to the highest point with several vegetation rich ravines, mostly seen on the east and west facing slopes. The terrain is mostly rocky in nature which are composed of light coloured Calcium rich alkaline granites. The mountain supports a unique mosaic vegetation mostly influenced by Mediterranean vegetation units. However, Jabal Lawz is unique for its habitats with microclimates along the west facing slopes and for the presence of several endemic and endangered species including the Mediterranean plant Prunus korshinskyi. In Saudi Arabia this species is reported from Jabal Lawz only. The area is also home to several endangered species such as Salix acmophylla , Myrtus communis, Phlomis brachyodon, Verbascum decaisneanum, Nepeta sheilae, Tulipa biflora, etc. 207 species in 60 families have been reported from Jabal Lawz, distributed among five major plant communities such as Juniperus phoenicea-Prunus korshinskyi community, Acacia spp. woodland community, Retama raetam community, Haloxylon salicornicum community and Artemisia sieberi community
Two views of Jabal Lawz/Lauz in winter and spring.
Acanthaceae
Blepharis ciliaris (L.)B.L.Burtt
Aizoaceae
Aizoon canariense L.
Alliaceae
Allium stamineum Boiss.
Amaranthaceae
Aerva javanica (Burm.f.)Spreng.
Amaryllidaceae
Pancratium maximumKer-Gawl.
Pancratium tortuosum Herb
Anacardiaceae
Pistacia khinjuk Stocks
Apocynaceae
Neriumoleander L.
Asclelpiadaceae
Gomphocarpus fruticosus (L.) W.T. Aiton
Gomphocarpus sinaicus Boiss.
Pergularia tomentosa L.
Asphodelaceae
Asphodelus tenuifolius Cav.
Boraginaceae
Alkanna orientalis (L.) Boiss.
Anchusa milleri Willd.
Buglossoides tenuiflora (L.f)I.M.Johnston
Heliotropium curassavicum L.
Lappula spinocarpos (Forssk)Aschers
Paracaryum intermedium (Fresen)Lipsky
Campanulaceae
Campanula dulcis Decne
Campanula erinus Forssk
Capparaceae
Capparis spinosa L. var.mucronifolia (Boiss) I.C. Hedge & Lamond.
Maerua crassifolia Forssk
Caryophyllaceae
Arenaria deflexa Decne
Dianthus strictus Banks & Sol. ssp. sublaevis D.F.Chamb.
Gymnocarpos decandrum Forssk
Gypsophila viscosa J.A.Murray.
Holosteum glutinosum (Bieb)Fischer & Meyer
Minuartia picta (Sibth & Smith) Bornm
Paronychia chlorothyrsa Murb.
Polycarpaea repens (Forssk)Asch & Schweinf.
Pteranthus dichotomus Forssk.
Silene colorata Poiret. ssp. oliveriana (Otth.)Muschl.
Silene coniflora Nees ex Otth.
Silene corylina Chamb & Collen
Chenopodiaceae
Anabasis articulata (Forssk.)Moq
Anabasis setifera Schweinf.
Bassia eriophora (Schrad)Asch.
Haloxylon salicornicum (Moq) Bunge.
Noaea mucronata (Forssk)Asch & Sch
Cistaceae
Helianthemum lippii (L) DoumCours
Colchicaceae
Colchicum ritichii R.Br.
Colchicum cf schimperi Lanka ex Stef
Compositae – Asteraceae
Anthemis zoharyana Eig.
Artemisia judaica L.
Artemisia sieberi Besser.
Centaurea eryngioides Lam
Centaurea pseudosinaica Czerep.
Echinops glaberrimus DC.
Gymnarrhena micrantha Desf
Lasiopogon muscoides(Desf) DC.
Launaea spinosa (Forssk)Sch.- Bip. Ex Kuntze.
Leysera leyseroides (Desf) Maire
Onopordum sibthorpianum Boiss & Heldbr.
Osteospermum vaillantii (Decne) T.Norlindh.
Phagnalon barbeyanum Asch & Sch
Phagnalon sinaicum Bornm & Kneucker
Phagnalon sp.aff. rupestre (L.)DC.
Picris babylonica Hand.-Mazz.
Pulicaria arabica (L.) Cass.
Pulicaria incisa (Lam.)D.C.Prod
Pulicaria undulata (L.)C.A.Mey
Reichardia tingitana (L.)Roth.
Scariola orientalis (Boiss.)Sojak
Scorzonera schweinfurthii Boiss.
Senecio glaucus L.
Tanacetum santolinoides (DC.) Feinbr & Fertig.
Varthemia montana (Vahl)Boiss
Cruciferae – Brassicaceae
Alyssum marginatum Steudel ex Boiss
Alyssum subspinosum T.R.Dudley.
Arabidopsis thaliana (L)Heynh
Arabis nova Villars.
Cardaria draba (L.) Desv.
Diplotaxis acris (Forssk)Boiss
Diplotaxis harra (Forssk)Boiss
Farsetia aegyptia Turra
Isatis lusitanica L.
Matthiola arabica Boiss
Morettia canescens Boiss
Morettia parviflora Boiss
Notoceros bicorne (Ait)Amo
Sisymbrium erysimoides Desf
Sisymbrium septulatum DC.
Zilla spinosa Prantl.
Cucurbitaceae
Citrullus colocynthis (L.)Schrad.
Cucumis prophetarum L . ssp. prophetarum
Cupressaceae
Juniperus phoenicea L.
Cuscutaceae
Cuscuta planiflora Tenore
Cynomoriaceae
Cynomorium coccineum L.
Cyperaceae
Scirpoides holoschoenus (L.) Sojak.
Dipsacaceae
Pterocephalus sanctus Decne.
Ephedraceae
Ephedra aphylla
Euphorbiaceae
Andrachne aspera Spreng. var. aspera
Euphorbia granulata Forssk.
Euphorbia chamaepeplus Boiss & Gaill
Mercurialis annua L.
Geraniaceae
Erodium cicutarium (L.)L’Her.
Erodium laciniatum(Cav.)Willd.var. pulverulentum (Cav)Willd.
Erodium laciniatum(Cav.)Willd var. glanduloso-pilosum Viern.
Gramineae – Poaceae
Hordeum secalinum Schreb.
Bromus fasciculatus C. Presl.
Piptatherum miliaceum (L.) Coss.
Schismus barbatus (L.) Thell.
Stipa capensis Thunb.
Stipa parviflora Desf.
Guttiferae (Hypericaceaea)
Hypericum sinaicum Hochs.Ex Bois
Hyacinthaceae
Bellevalia flexuosa Boiss.
Dipcadi erythraeum Webb & Berth.
Juncaceae
Juncus rigidus Desf.
Labiatae – Lamiaceae
Ajuga chamaepitys (L.)Schreb. ssp.tridactylites (Ging.ex Benth.) P.H.Davis.
Ballota saxatilis C.Presl
Ballota undulata (Fres.) Benth.
Lamium ehrenbergii Boiss & Reut. Ex Boiss.
Lavandula pubescens Decne.
Nepeta sheilae Hedge & R.A.King.
Mentha longifolia (L.) L.
Nepeta celicica Boiss. ex Benth.
Nepeta sheilae Hedge & R.A. King.
Origanum syriacum L.
Otostegia fruticosa (Forssk.) Schweinf.ex Penzig . ssp. schimperi
Phlomis brachyodon (Boiss.)Zoh.
Stachys aegyptiaca Pers.
Teucrium leucocladum Boiss.
Teucrium polium L.
Thymus decussates Benth.
Leguminosae
Acacia gerrardii Benth.
Acacia raddiana Savi
Acacia tortilis (Forssk.)
Argyrolobium crotalarioides Jaub & Spach.
Astragalus caprinus L.
Astragalus dactylocarpus Boiss .ssp. acinaciferus (Boiss)Otto
Astragalus echinus DC. ssp. arabicus I.C.Hedge &D.Podl.
Astragalus fruticosus Forssk.
Astragalus spinosus (Forssk.)Muschl.
Astragalus tribuloides Del. var. minutus Boiss.
Colutea istria Mill.
Crotalaria aegyptiaca Benth.
Lotononis platycarpa (Viv.)Pichi.- Serm.
Ononis natrix L.
Psoralea bituminosa L.
Retama raetam (Forssk) Webb
Senna italica Miller.
Trigonella hamosa L.
Liliaceae
Gagea reticulata (Pall.)J.A.& J.H. Schultes.
Tulipa biflora Pall.
Loranthaceae
Plicosepalus acaciae (Zucc.) Wiens & Polhill.
Malvaceae
Malva parviflora L. var microcarpa (Desf.) Paol.
Menispermaceae
Tinospora malabarica Miers
Moraceae
Ficus palmata Forssk. ssp. virgata (Roxb.)Browicz.
Moringaceae
Moringa peregrina (Forssk.) Fiori.
Myrtaceae
Myrtus communis L.
Orobanchaceae
Cistanche phelypaea (L.) Cout.
Palmae – Arecaceae
Phoenix dactylifera L.
Papaveraceae
Glaucium arabicum Fresen.
Hypecoum pendulum L.
Papaver decaisnei Hochst & Steudel.
Plantaginaceae
Plantago afra L.
Plantago boissieri Hausskn & Bornm.
Plantago lanceolata L.
Plantago maris-mortui Eig.
Plantago ovata Forssk.
Polygalaceae
Polygala negevensis Danin
Atraphaxis spinosa L.
Polygonaceae
Atraphaxis spinosa L.
Polygonum aviculare L.
Rumex vesicarius L.
Primulaceae
Anagallis arvensis L. var. caerulea (L.)Gouan.
Androsace maxima L.
Pteridophytes
Adiantaceae
Adiantum capillus-veneris L.
Resedaceae
Caylusea hexagyna (Forssk.) M.L. Green.
Ochradenus baccatus Del.
Reseda muricata Presl.
Rhamnaceae
Sageretia thea (Osbeck)M.C. Johnston.
Rosaceae
Prunus korshinskyi Hand.-Mazz.
Rosa abyssinica Lindley
Rubiaceae
Callipeltis cucullaris (L.) Stev.
Crucianella ciliata Lam.
Crucianella membranacea Boiss.
Galium canum.Req. ssp. canum
Galium sinaicum (Del. ex Decne) Boiss.
Galium spuriumL. var. africanum Verdc.
Salicaceae
Salix acmophylla Boiss. Diag.
Sapindaceae
Dodonaea angustifolia L.f.
Scrophulariaceae
Anarrhinum forsskalii (J.F.Gmel.) Cufod.
Chaenorhinum rubrifolium (Robill. & Cast.ex Lam. &DC.)Fourr
Linaria haelava (Forssk.) Del. Scrophularia peyronii Post.
Scrophularia deserti Delile
Verbascum decaisneanum O.Kuntze.
Verbascum schimperianum Boiss.
Verbascum sinaiticum Benth.
Veronica anagalloides Guss .ssp. heureka M.A.Fisch.
Veronica rubrifolia Boiss .ssp. respectatissima M.A.Fisch.
Solanaceae
Hyoscyamus pusillus L.
Lycium shawii Roem & Schult
Solanum incanum L.
Solanum villosum Miller .Gard.Dict. ssp. miniatum Edmonds.
Umbelliferae – Apiaceae
Anisosciadium lanatum Boiss
Anisosciadium isosciadium Bornm.
Deverra triradiata Hochst.ex Boiss.
Eryngium glomeratum Lam
Ferula sinaica Boiss Scandix stellata Banks & Sol.
Zosima absinthifolia (Vent.)Link.
Urticaceae
Forsskaolea tenacissima L.
Parietaria alsinifolia Del.Descr.
Valerianaceae
Valerianella szovitsiana Fisch & Mey
Zygophyllaceae
Fagonia boveana (Hadidi) Hadidi & Garf.
Fagonia tenuifolia Steud. & Hochst. ex Boss.
Peganum harmala L.
