Southern Tihama
Southwestern Tihama is an approximately 800 km long coastal zone stretching from Jeddah in the north to Yemen border in south. It is narrow in the north and wide in the south. Topographically the region divided into a narrow shoreline, sand dunes, open plains, wadis and hillocks.
Shore line is more or less fringed with many inlets and creeks mostly holding patches of Avicennia marina population. Shallow waters in these fringes (between 1 m to 300 m away from the sea-shore) are also home to a number of sea-grasses, some of them are found in relatively deeper waters (Enhalus acoroides and Thalassia hemprichii) while others are found in shallow waters (Cymodoca rotundata, Halodule australis, Halophila ovalis, H. stipulaceae). Narrow salt pans (Sabkhas) adjacent to the shoreline is a more or less continuous and holding a scattered vegetation, dominated by Suaeda vermiculata, Zygophyllum coccineum, Halopeplis perfoliata, Sporobolus spicatus, Aeluropus lagopoides, Cressa cretica, Tamarix nilotica, Zygophyllum simplex, Desmostachya bipinnata, Cyperus conglomeratus, etc. Northern part (Al-Birk, Quinfudah, Al-Lith) of the southern Tihama is narrow due to the projection of the crystalline basement to the west, at places, particularly in Qahama area, it reaches to the sea shore. Most of the coastal sides in this part of Tihama are steep. Vegetation in these areas are very significant. However, the plains composed of stones and pebbles are dominated by Limonium axillare, Panicum turgidum, Leptadenia pyrotechnica and Pennisetum divisum whereas in areas with more saline soil, the vegetation is dominated by Suaeda monoica, Halopeplis perfoliata and Salsola spinescens
Dunes and plains constitute some of the major land-forms in Tihama. Sand Dunes in the area are formed by the deposition of silt brought in by the flash floods and subsequent piling up of sand by wind. Major vegetation components of small dunes and plains are Acacia tortilis, A. ehrenbergiana, Suaeda monoica, Leptadenia pyrotechnica, Salvadora persica, Panicum turgidum, Pennisetum divisum, and Tephrosia purpurea whereas on deep sands, the vegetation is dominated by Odyssea mucronata, Capparis decidua, Dipterygium glaucum, Cadaba rotundifolia, Halopyrum mucronatum and Indigofera argentea. Dense thickets of Salvadora persica intermixed with Acacia ehrenbergiana are also common along the less mobile undulating sand dunes. These sand dunes and adjacent plains also hold a number of ephemerals during spring, dominated mainly by Zygophyllum simplex.
Major wadis originating from the escarpments dissect through the dune formations and end in the Red Sea. Over 20 wadis cut through the plains of Tihama coast and end in Red Sea. Among these wadis, Itwed, Baysh, Dhamad, Jazan and Khulab are considered important. These wadis account for a mean annual run off rate of 7.4m3/Sec. Wadis are generally dry for the whole year or for successive years. However, occasional spates develop during rainy days. At the point of origin of the wadis, vegetation is dominated by Acacia ehrenbergiana, Salvadora persica, Delonix elata, Tamarindus indica, Berchemia discolor, Imperata cylindrica, etc. while its adjacent areas and open plains are dominated by Hyphaene thebaica, Dobera glabra and Acacia spp. along with succulents like Caralluma retrospiciens, Sansevieria and Aloe officinalis. Along the wadi beds where there are stagnant waters the vegetation is dominated by semi aquatic plants such as Typha domingensis, Cyperus laevigatus, Phyla nodiflora, Bacopa monnieri, Eclipta alba, etc and aquatic plants such as Potamogeton nodosus, Najas gramminae, Marselia aegytiaca, etc.
Eastern edge of Tihama region is characterized by hillocks, most of which rise from 150 to 250 m. Topography of these hillocks varies from rocky boulders to gravels with shallow runnels. Vegetation is sparse and scattered on the gentle slopes of the hills, mainly dominated by Acacia tortilis along with associated species such as Adenium obesum, Anisotes trisulcus, Acacia asak, Commiphora opobalsamum, Lycium shawii, Hibiscus micranthus, etc. Foot-hills and neighbouring plains are covered by gravels, pebbles and stones. Vegetation on these plains are also sparse, mainly inhabited by Dobera glabra, Caralluma retrospiciens, Aloe officinalis and Senna alexandrina. Climbers such as Pentropis spiralis, Ceropegia spp. and Cissus spp. are common in the plains, often seen festooned on Acacias. Most noticeable plant in this zone is the branched palm tree, Hyphaene thebaica interspersed with occasional trees like Maerua crassifolia and Ziziphus spina-christi.
Flora of Southern Tihama consists of 346 species of higher plants in 68 families. Poaceae is the largest family followed by Leguminosae, Euphorbiaceae and Asteraceae.
Flora of Southern Tihama
Acanthaceae
Anisotes trisulcus
Barleria bispinosa
Barleria hochstetteri
Barleria prionites
Blepharis ciliaris
Hypoestes forsskaolii
Ruellia patula
Aizoaceae
Aizon canariense
Zaleya pentandra
Trianthema crystallina
Trianthema portulacastrum
Trianthema triquetra
Trianthema sheilae
Zaleya pentandra
Aloeaceae
Aloe officinalis
Amaranthaceae
Achyranthes aspera
Aerva javanica
Aerva lanata
Amaranthus graecizans
Amaranthus hybridus
Amaranthus lividus
Amaranthus sparganiocephalus
Amaranthus spinosus
Amaranthus viridis
Celosia trigyna
Digera muricata
Pupalia lappacea
Anacardiaceae
Combretum molle
Apocynaceae
Adenium obesum
Asclepiadaceae
Calotropis procera
Caralluma retrospiciens
Caralluma subulata
Ceropegia aristolochioides
Ceropegia tihamana
Cetropegia variegata
Duvalia velutina
Glossonema boveanum
Leptadenia pyrotechnica
Pentatropis nivalis
Arecaceae
Hyphaene thebaica
Phoenix caespitosa
Phoenix dactylifera
Aristolochiaceae
Aristolochia bracteolata
Boraginaceae
Arnebia hispidissima
Echium rauwfolii
Heliotropium ararbainense
Heliotropium bacciferum
Heliotropium digynum
Heliotropium europaeum
Heliotropium longiflorum
Heliotropium pterocarpum
Heliotropium zeylanicum
Trichodesma africanum
Brassicaceae
Farsetia longisiliqua
Farsetia stylosa
Morettia phileana
Schouwia purpurea
Sisymbrium erysimoides
Sisymbrium irio
Asphodelaceae
Asphodelus fistulosus
Burseraceae
Commiphora Kataf
Commiphora myrrha
Commiphora opoblasamum
Cactaceae
Opuntia dellenii
Opuntia ficus-indica
Campanulaceae
Campanula edulis
Capparaceae
Cadaba glandulosa
Cadaba longifolia
Capparis decidua
Cadaba rotundifolia
Capparis spinosa
Cleome brachycarpa
Cleome gynandra
Cleome viscosa
Dipterygium glaucum
Gynandropsis gynandra
Maerua crassifolia
Maerua oblongifolia
Chenopodiaceae
Chenopodium album
Chenopodium fasiculosum
Cornulaca ehrenbergii
Suaeda aegyptiaca
Suaeda monoica
Suaeda vermiculata
Halopeplis perfoliata
Salsola spinescens
Commelinaceae
Commelina africana
Commelina albicans
Commelina forsskalei
Compositae
Centaurea schimperi
Conyza bonariensis
Conyza dioscorides
Echinops sp.
Eclipta alba
Launaea intybacea
Launaea mucronata
Launaea nudicaulis
Launaea procumbens
Onopordon ambiguum
Parthenium hysterophorus
Pluchea dioscoridis
Pulicaria petiolaris
Pulicaria somalensis
Pulicaria undulata
Reichardia tingitana
Sonchus oleraceus
Tridax procumbens
Verbesina enceolioides
Xanthium strumarium
Convolvulaceae
Convolvulus glomeratus
Convolvulus prostrates
Cressa cretica
Ipomoea carnea ssp. fistulosa
Operculina turpethum
Seddera virgata
Cucurbitaceae
Citrullus colocynthis
Coccinea grandis
Cucumis prophetarum
Momordica balsamina
Cymodoceaceae
Cymodocea rotundata
Cymodocea serrulata
Halodule uninervis
Cyperaceae
Cyperus alternifolius ssp. flabelliformis
Cyperus articulatus
Cyperus conglomeratus
Cyperus laevigatus
Cyperus rubicundus
Cyperus rotundifolius
Schoenus nigricans
Dracaenaceae
Sansevieria ehrenbergii
Euphorbiaceae
Acalypha fruticosa
Acalypha indica
Andrachene aspera
Chrozophora oblongifolia
Clutia lanceolata
Croton bonplandianus
Euphorbia cactus
Euphorbia chamaesyce
Euphorbia cuneata
Euphorbia granulata
Euphorbia hirta
Euphorbia indica
Euphorbia schimperiana
Jatropha curcas
Jatropha glauca
Jatropha pelargonifolia
Phyllanthus maderaspatensis
Ricinus communis
Gentianaceae
Enicostemma axillare
Geraniaceae
Geranium trilophum
Pelargonium multiflorum
Hydrocharitaceae
Halophila ovalis
Thalassia hemprichii
Hypericaceae
Hypericum hircinum
Lamiaceae
Ocimum americanum
Ocimum forsskolei
Otostegia fruticosa ssp. schimperi
Teucrium oliverianum
Leguminosae
Acacia melifera
Acacia abyssinica
Acacia asak
Acacia ehrenbergiana
Acacia etbaica
Acacia gerrardii
Acacia laeta
Acacia oerfota
Acacia seyal
Crotalaria microphylla
Crotalaria senegalensis
Cyamopsis tetragonoloba
Indigofera argentea
Indigofera articulata
Indigofera colutea
Indigofera oblongifolia
Indigofera spinosa
Loganychium farctum
Lotus arabicus
Pithecellobium dulce
Prosopis juliflora
Rhynchosia pulverulenta
Senna alexandrina
Senna italica
Senna occidentalis
Sesbania leptocarpa
Tephrosia nubica
Tephrosia purpurea
Tephrosia purpurea ssp. apollinea
Tephrosia Uniflora
Vicia sativa
Vigna aconitifolia
Vigna amabensis
Loganiaceae
Nuxia oppositifolia
Loranthaceae Loranthus curviflorus Lythraceae Lawsonia inermis Malpighiaceae Caucanthus edulis Malvaceae Abutilon bidentatum Abutilon fruticosum Abutilon hirtum Abutilon pannosum Althaea ludwigii Hibiscus micranthus Malva parviflora Senra incana Sida ovata Meliaceae Azadirachta indica Melia azaderach Menispermaceae Cocculus pendulus Molluginaceae Corbichonia decumbens Glinus lotoides Mollugo cerviana Moraceae Ficus vasta Nyctaginaceae Boerhavia diffusa Commicarpus grandiflorus Commicarpus plumbagineus Oleaceae Jasminum grandiflorum ssp. floribundum Orchidaceae Eulophia petersii Orobanchaceae Orobanche cernua Oxalidaceae Oxalis corniculata Pandanaceae Pandanus odoratissimus Papaveraceae Argemone ochroleuca Pedaliaceae Pedalium murex Sesamum alatum Sesamum indicum Plumbaginaceae Limoniium axillare Limonium cylindrifolium Poaceae/Gramineae Aeluropus lagopoides Aeluropus massauensis Aristida adscensionis Aristida funiculata Aristida mutabilis Brachiaria deflexa Brachiaria leersioides Cenchrus ciliaris Cenchrus echinatus Cenchrus setigerus Chloris barbata Chloris virgata Chrysopogon plumulosus Cynodon dactylon Dactyloctenium aegyptium Dactyloctenium aristatum Dactyloctenium scindicum Desmostachya bipinnata Dichanthium annulatum Dichanthium foveolatum Digitaria velutina Echinochloa colona Echinochloa pyramidalis Enneapogon lophotichus Enneapogon schimperanus Eleusine africana Eragrostis barrelieri Eragrostis ciliaris Eragrostis papposa Eriochloa fatmensis Halopyrum mucronatum Hyparrhenia hirta Lasiurus scindicus Leptochloa fusca Melinis repens Ochthochloa compressa Odyssea mucronata Panicum antidotale Panicum coloratum Panicum turgidum Paspalidium desertorum Pennisetum setaceum Pennisetum villosum Phragmites australis Piptatherum olciformis Poa sinaica Saccharum spontaneum Schoenefeldia gracilis Setaria ciliaris Setaria verticillata Sorghum bicolor Sporobolus consimilis Sporobolus ioclados Sporobolus spicatus Stipagrostis hirtigluma Stipagrostis plumosa Stipagrostis plumosa Tetrapogon cenchriformis Tetrapogon tenellus Tetrapogon villosus Themeda triandra Tragus berteronianus Tragus racemosus Tricholaena teneriffae Polygalaceae Polygala erioptera Polygonaceae Rumex vesicarius Portulacaceae Portulaca oleracea Portulaca quadrifida Potamogetonaceae Potamogeton nodosus Primulaceae Anagalis arvensis Pteridophytes Cheilanthus coriacea Marselia aegyptiaca Resedaceae Ochradenus baccatus Reseda decursiva Reseda muricata Rhamnaceae Ziziphus spina-christi Rhizophoraceae Rhizophora mucronata Salvadoraceae Dobera glabra Salvadora persica Scrophulariaceae Bacopa monnieri Craterostigma pumilum Schweinfurthia pterosperma Scoparia dulcis Striga hermonthica Verbascum nubicum Solanaceae Datura ferox Datura innoxia Dataura stramonium Physalis acuminata Physalis peruviana Solanum albicaule Solanum dubium Solanum glabrata var. sepicula Solanum incanum Solanum sepicula Solanum surattense Solanum villosum Withania somnifera Tamaricaceae Tamarix aphylla Tamarix macrocarpa Tamarix nilotica Tiliaceae Corchorus depressus Corchorus olitorius Corchorus trilocularis Typhaceae Typha domingensis Typha elephatiana Urticaceae Forsskaolea tenacissima Verbenaceae Avicennia marina Chascanum marrubifolium Phyla nodiflora Vitaceae Cissus quadrangularis Cissus rotundifolius Zygophyllaceae Fagonia bruguieri Fagonia indica Tribulus parvispinus Tribulus pentandrus Tribulus terrestris Tribulus terrestris var. inermis Zygophyllum album Zygophyllum coccineum Zygophyllum hamiense Zygophyllum simplex |