A quantitative analysis of the flora of Jordan and its conservation status

A quantitative analysis of the flora of Jordan

and its conservation status

Shahina A Ghazanfar

_{, Haten Taifour}

_{, Ahmad AlOqlah}

_{, Renata}

Borosova

_{and Jo Osborne}

1_{Royal Botanic Gardens Kew ,} 2_{Royal Botanic Garden Jordan, Yarmouk University, Irbid}

Botanical Explorations in the Middle East

started almost 800 years ago

Ibn al-Bayṭār (1197-1248) was a Muslim scientist, botanist,

pharmacist and physician. Born in the Andalusia in Malaga, he learned botany from the Málagan botanist Abu al-Abbas al-Nabati with whom he started collecting plants in and around Spain. In 1219, Ibn al-Baytar left Málaga to travel in the Islamic world to collect plants. He travelled from the northern coast of Africa as far as Anatolia, and in 1224 went to Damascus and collected plants in Syria, Arabia and Palestine.

Collection of Simple Drugs and Food, an encyclopaedia of about 1500 medicinal substances that he collected over his lifetime.

Peter Forsskål (Pehr Forsskål) (11 Jan 1732 - 11 July 1763) was a Swedish explorer, naturalist and an apostle of Carl Linnaeus. Collected in Lower Egypt, Sinai, Palestine. Collections in C, where many of his plants were lost to bad storage – herbarium

resurrected by Carl Christensen some 150 year later. The entire journey of this Danish expedition was written by Thorkild Hansen Det lykkelige Arabien (1962, translated into English as Arabia Felix). Flora Ægyptiaco-Arabica sive descriptiones plantarum quas per Ægyptum Inferiorem et Arabiam felicem detexit, illustravit Petrus Forskål - plants of Yemen and of lower Egypt (1775)

Wilhelm Peter Eduard Simon Rüppell (1794 - 1884) German naturalist and explorer. Rüppell is occasionally transliterated to "Rueppell" for the English alphabet.

Visited Sinai in 1817; first expedition in 1821, with surgeon Michael Hey as his assistant - through the Sinai desert; in 1822 both were the first European

explorers to reach the Gulf of Aqaba; went to Mt Sinai, Nile, Sudan, Ethiopia.

Atlas zu der Reise im nordlichen Afrika (Atlas of Travels in northern Africa) (1826). In 1830 Rüppell returned to Africa, and became the first naturalist to traverse Ethiopia - Published an account of his travels: Travels in Abyssinia.

Pierre Martin Remi Aucher-Éloy (1792-1838)

Turkey, Cyprus, Greece, Egypt, Sinai Peninsula, Chios, Kos, Syria, Iran, Oman, (died near Isfahan on October 6, 1838)

Aucher sold his collections to the Museum National d'Histoire Naturelle in Paris, from where they were distributed to various herbaria. His book

Relations de Voyages en Orient de 1830 à 1838 was published posthumously in 1843.

Georg Theodor Kotschy (1813-1866)

Collected in various places in the Middle East; Syria, N Africa, Egypt, Cyprus, Iraq incl. Kurdistan, Lebanon, Palestine; collections in W.

Pierre Edmond Boissier (1810-1885)

Near East , through the Nile Valley to Assouan, then to Mt. Sinai and through Yemen to Gaza , Jerusalem and the Dead Sea, Damascus , Lebanon , anti-Lebanon, Antiochia, Aleppo and back to southern Lebanon . Flora Orientalis, 5 Vols, and supplementary volume (1867-1888); collections at G.

This great flora has remained for long time the principal source of the knowledge on the Middle-Eastern floras.

Heinrich Carl Haussknecht (1838-1903)

Explored Syria , Armenia and S E Turkey in 1864-1866, the results of his work were published in “Iter Syriaco-Armeniacum”; collections in JE

Michael Zohary (1898-1983)

Travelled and published extensively on the Middle East flora.

Geobotanical Foundations of the Middle East -

Flora Palaestina Vols 1-2 & with Naomi Feinbrun-Dothan Vols 3-4

George Post (1838-1909) Eastern Mediterranean region

Flora of Syria, Palestine and Sinai” which was published between 1883 and 1896. Revision by John Edward Dinsmore in 1932-1933.

František Nábělek (1884-1965) Iran, Kurdistan, Israel, Jordan, Syria

Head of Arboretum at Mlyňany, Slovak Academy of Sciences and the Arts.

John Edward Dinsmore (1862-1951)

Collected in Israel, Syria, Transjordan (1902-1939).

Collections at: A, AMD, BEI, CGE, E, F, G, GB, GH, GRO, K, L, LD, W] Original herbarium heavily damaged, Nov. 1953 at the Agr. Res. Service, Transjordan]

John E. Dinsmore collection (books & plant specimens; portraits) exists at the American Colony Hotel, Jerusalem

J. Decaisne (1836) Florula Sinaica. Ann. Soc. Nat. (Paris) ed.2, 2: 257-270.

B. Lowne (1865) Flora of Sinai. Jour. Linn. Soc., 1865

H.B. Tristram (1884) Fauna and Flora of Palestine. Palestine Exploration Fund,

London

D. Hanbury & J.D. Hooker, Catalogue of the Flora of Palestine. Ms (at Kew).

Hart (1891) Some Account of the Fauna and Flora of Sinai, Petra and Wâdy Arabak.

Palestine Exploration Fund, London.

J.E. Dinsmore (1911) Die Pflanzen Palästinas.

(Auf Grund eigener Sammlung und der Flora Posts und Boissiere, mit Beigabe der

arabischen Namen von Prof. D . Dr. G. Dalman), pp. 1-122. J. C. Hinrichs'sche

Buchhandlung, Leipzig, 191 1.

Country Taxa

Turkey 9753

Iran 7300

Syria 3500

Iraq 3203

Israel, Palestine & western Jordan

2700

Jordan 2560

Egypt (incl. Sinai) 2145

Yemen 2200

Saudi Arabia 2281

Lebanon, Syria 2606

Oman 1240

United Arab Emirates 650

Kuwait 450

Qatar 270

Bahrain 250

Families Genera Species % total species Vascular cryptogams 8 8 10 Gymnosperms 3 5 7 Angiosperms 104 778 2623 Total 108 786 2640

Genera Species Leguminosae 48 280 Asteraceae (Compositae) 98 277 Poaceae (Gramineae) 88 226 Brassicaceae 69 145 Liliaceae 21 124 Lamiaceae (Labiatae) 31 116 Caryophyllaceae 28 110 Amaranthaceae 29 92 Apiaceae (Umbelliferae) 51 88 Boraginaceae 28 81 Scrophulariaceae 15 75 Rubiaceae 14 47 Ranunculaceae 9 45 Euphorbiaceae 5 39 Caprifoliaceae 9 37 Convolvulaceae 5 34 Papaveraceae 6 33 Polygonaceae 7 33 Cyperaceae 7 30 Malvaceae 9 30 Iridaceae 5 29 Geraniaceae 4 28 Zygophyllaceae 8 28 Solanaceae 7 26 Orchidaceae 8 23 Plantaginaceae 2 23 Apocynaceae 14 22 Rosaceae 12 21

0 20 40 60 80 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 Fr eq uen cy o f g en er a

Species per genus

Frequency of species per genus in the flora of Jordan

Families Genera Species

Leguminosae Astragalus 56 Leguminosae Trifolium 38 Caryophyllaceae Silene 35 Euphorbiaceae Euphorbia 32 Liliaceae Allium 30 Leguminosae Trigonella 24 Leguminosae Medicago 22 Plantaginaceae Plantago 22 Asteraceae Centaurea 21 Rubiaceae Galium 21 Convolvulaceae Convolvulus 20 Poaceae Bromus 20 Lamiaceae Salvia 20

There are seven species endemic to Jordan and ± 106 near endemics,

(endemic to Palestine, Israel, Jordan, Suadi Arabia and Sinai).

Through the BOT-ERA project Conservation Assessments of 931 species have

been made.

Using the IUCN Regional Categories and Criteria

Salvia fruticosa

is recorded to be

Regionally Extinct

(Region-Jordan)

21 species are Critically Endangered

53 Endangered

31 Vulnerable

12 species Near Threatened

Threats to biodiversity and habitats include urbanization, wood cutting,

overgrazing, and extractor mining.

Endemism

Salvia fruticosa Photo A. Danin

(WWF Ecoregions. Olsen et al. 2001.)

Palaearctic (left) and Afrotropic (right) ecozones.

The Arabian Desert separates the Palearctic and Afrotropic ecozones, and forms

a transition zone between the Afrotropic and Mediterranean basin to the north.

At a global scale, the Middle East is lies in the transition zone between two

major biogeographic units, the Palaearctic and Afrotropical Ecoregions.

(WWF Ecoregions. Olsen et al. 2001.)

The southern Arabian woodlands found mostly

in south western parts of the Arabian Peninsula

(mostly Yemen, parts of western Oman and

southwestern Saudi Arabia) have a few

permanent and seasonal forests with elements of

East African and Ethiopian floras.

Other woodlands scatter the land and are very

small and are predominately juniper or acacia

woodlands

(WWF Ecoregions. Olsen et al. 2001.)

Palaearctic and Afrotropic ecozones.

The Mediterranean Basin (of the Palaearctic

ecoregion has about 13,000 endemic species.

Designated as one of the world's biodiversity

hotspots .

The Iranian plateau is home to dry, steppe

grasslands and desert basins, with montane

forests, woodlands, and grasslands in the

region's high mountains.

Phytogeography of the Middle East

M The Mediterranean region, occupies a narrow belt along the Mediterranean Sea, with a gap between Palestine and Libya where the desert closely approaches the Mediterranean

IT the Irano-Turanian region occupies about half of the Middle East, mainly C and E Turkey, Iran, Iraq, Syria, Israel, Jordan and Palestine; it is floristically rich and high in endemism and a centre of radiation of several genera

SS

J. Leonard (1988, 1989)

White’s definition of floristic regions for Africa: 50% of species confined to that region; 1000 endemic spp. found in the same phytochorion. Leonard defined the floristic regions of the Middle East.

Phytogeography of Jordan

(IT):

(Endemism: 19 genera, 59 species)

IT 1 - SE Turkey, most of Syria, parts of Lebanon, Israel, Palestine, N Sinai, N Jordan, N Iraq

Representatives of IT endemic genera in Jordan: Cousinia, Gundelia (Asteraceae); Heterocaryum, Paracaryum

(Boraginacae), Ducrosia (Apiaceae),

Species endemic to IT 1 found in Jordan: Alysum marginatum, Cardaria draba, Heterocaryum subsessile, Hyocyamus pusillus, Ixioliron tataricum, Ziziphora tenuior, Scorzonera pusilla, Anchusa strigosa, Artemisia sieberi, Ducrosia anethifolia, Gundelia tournefortii, Linum album, Minuartia picta, Pistacia khinjuk,

Phytogeography of Jordan

Saharo-Sindian regional zone (SS) Saharo-Sindian (SS1), Arabian regional subzone (SS2), Nubo-Sindian local centre of endemism (SS3)

Endemism: 6 genera, 17 species

Representatives of SS endemic genera in Jordan: Anastatica, Eremobium, Gymnarrhena, Moltkiopsis, Neurada, Notoceras, Savigna

Species endemic to Saharo-Sindian (SS) found in Jordan: Anastatica hierochuntica; Gymnarrhena micrantha; Neurada procumbens; Notoceras bicorne; Savigna parviflora

Phytogeography of Jordan

Nubo-Sindian local centre of endemism -(SS 2 + SS 3) endemic genera in Jordan:

Anisosciadium

Species endemic to Arabo-Sindian (SS 2 + SS 3) found in Jordan:

Anisosciadium isosciadium, A. lanatum; Haloxylon salicornicum; Zygophyllum

propinquum; Paronychia arabica, Trigonella glabra

J. Leonard (1988, 1989)

SS3 - Represented in Jordan by species such as Ziziphus nummularia, Acacia pachyceras, and Cleome amblyocarpa,which are

considered as Sudanian relicts that migrated from western Arabia through flow cut

channels during pluvial times during the late Pliocene (c. 2.5 MYBP).

Mediterranean regional centre of endemism (M): Occupies most of western Jordan , the mountains and Jordan valley.

Representative vegetation: coniferous forests of Aleppo pine (Pinus halepensis) and Callabrian pine (Pinus brutia – not in Jordan); and dry oak (Quercus spp.) woodlands and steppe formations.

Olive (Olea europea), carob (Cerotonia siliqua), oak (Quercus coccifera – most widespread), pistachio

(Pistacia palestina, P. lentiscus), and Arbutus andrachne are the principal species. In addition Phillyrea latifolia, Pistacia terebinthus, Calicotome villosa, Genista

acantha, Rhamnus oleoides, Myrtus communis, Laurus nobilis, Styrax officinalis, and Spartium junceum also occur.

Vegetation is degraded, in particular Ceratonia siliqua that it is only represented by a few individuals.

Integrated Terrestrial and Marine Habitat Map of the Arabian Peninsula

Ecological Habitats Jordan

40 – Northern limestone plateau

45 – Igneous Northern Volcanic outcrop 76 - Jordanian Forest and non-forest 77 – Jordan steppe

78 – Jordan Acacia & rocky Sudanian

25 – Inland plain and sabkha 38 – Hisma Plateau

71 – Madyan – mountains and hills below 1000m

Integrated Terrestrial and Marine Habitat Map of the Arabian Peninsula

Vegetation Types

Pine forest

Deciduous oak forest

Evergreen oak forest

Juniper woodland

Tropical

Mediterranean non forest

Steppe

Hammada

Sand Dune

Acacia & rocky Sudanian

Acacia and rocky Sudanian

Deciduous oak forest

Juniper woodland

Hammada

Sand dune vegetation

Evergreen oak forest Pine forest

Mediterranean non forest zone Tropical

Juniper woodland

Source: RSCN After Eisawi, 1996

1. PINE FOREST

Land classification: Mountain ranges in north; parts of Jordan; cultivation.

Approx. area:350,000‒400,000km2_.

Altitude range: > 100 m; Annual rainfall: 400 ‒600 mm. Representative Governorates: Ajloun; Jerash; Balqa; Dibbeen.

Vegetation: Open to dense forest with Pinus halepensis forming emergent trees.

Subemergent associated trees and shrubs species: Arbutus andrachne, Qyercus coccifera, Pistacia palestina.

Low shrubs: Calycotome villosa, Cistus villosus, C. salvifolius, Smilax aspera. Herbaceous cover of Fumana arabica, Thesium hergeri,

Helianthemuim lavandulaefolium; orchids: Ophrys, Lemodorum, Cephalanthera.

Biogeography and richness: Mediterranean; species richness: > 1000

Distribution of Pinus halepensis. Aljos Farjon & Denis Filer. An Atlas of the World’s Conifers. Brill, Leiden & Boston, 2013.

2. EVERGREEN OAK FOREST

Land classification: Mountainous areas of northern, central and southern Jordan.

Approx. area:

Altitude range: > 700 m; Annual rainfall: 400 ‒600 mm. Representative Governorates:Amman;Irbid; best

represented near Ajloun; Tafila.

Vegetation: Open to dense forest with Quercus coccifera

as the dominant tree; associates Pistacia palaestina, Pyrus syriaca, Arbutus andrachne, Crataegus azarolus, Phillyrea media.

Low shrubs: Amygdalus communis, Asparagus aphyllus, Lonicera etrusca, Sarcopoterium spinosum, Rhamnus palaestinus, Rubia olivieri, Calycotome villosa, Cistus villosus.

Herbaceous: Dactylis glomera, Anemone coronaria, Echinops spp. Lecokia cretica, Orchis anatolica, Poa bulbosa, Cyclamen persicum, Linum pubescens, Adonis palaestina.

Biogeography and richness: Mediterranean. Species richness: > 1000 Aut or Pa ve l S ek er ka Pistacia palaestina Arbutus andrachne

3. DECIDUOUS OAK FOREST

Land classification: Mountainous northern, central and southern parts of Jordan.

Approx. area:350,000‒400,000km2_.

Altitude range: > 700 m; Annual rainfall: 400 ‒600 mm.

Representative Governorates: Irbid: Um-Qays & Yarmuk R.; Ajloun: Jerash; Balqa: Wadi Shuaib.

Vegetation: Deciduous oak woodland, scattered and degraded

woodland with Q. ithaburensis subsp. macrolepis and Q.

infectoria subsp. veneris as dominant trees. This vegetation type occurs at a lower altitude than other forest vegetation and mix with other trees depending on temperature and humidity. Associates: Ceratonia siliqua, Olea europaea, Styrax officinalis, Pistacia atlantica

Large shrubs: Crataegus azarolus, Amygdalus communis, Rhamnus palaestinus, Calicotome villosa, Retama raetam

Low shrubs and herbaceous: Sarcopoterium spinosum, Salvia, Euphorbia hierosolymitana, Alcea; grasses: Dactylis glomerata, Poa bulbosa; geophytes: Drimia maritima, Colchicum, Tulipa. Biogeography and species richness: Mediterranean; species richness:

Phillyrea media Q. ithaburensis subsp. macrolepis

Ajloun

Drimia maritima _{Tulipa systola. Photo A. Danin} Cra

ta eg us az ar olu s. Ph ot o A . D an in

5. JUNIPER FOREST

Land classification: Southern mountains .

Approx. area:

Altitude range: > 1000 m; Annual rainfall: 400 ‒600

mm.

Representative Governorates: Tafila: Dana, Shaubak, Wadi Musa (best represented at Dana National Park)

Vegetation: Open woodland of Juniperus phoenica as the dominant tree, associated with Cupressus sempervirens.

Above 1300 m juniper forest is taken over by evergreen oak forest dominated by Quercus coccifera; mixed forest of Quercus and Juniperus where the two dominant species meet.

Main associates: Pistacia atlantica,Rhamnus palaestinus,

Thymelaea hirsuta, Daphne linearifolia, Amygdalus korschinskyi ,Colutea istria, Crataegus azarolus; a few trees of Ceratonia siliqua are also present.

Shrubs: Globularia arabica, Helianthemum vesicarium, Sarcopoterium spinosom, Osyris alba, Noaea mucronata, Achillea santolina, Artemesia herba-alba, Zosima

absinthifolia;grasses: Dactylis glomerata.

Biogeography and endemism: Mediterranean, Irano Turanian; species richness:

Distribution Juniperus phoenica. Aljos Farjon & Denis Filer. An Atlas of the World’s Conifers. Brill, Leiden & Boston, 2013.

6. MEDITERRANEAN NON-FOREST VEGETATION

Land classification: Northern and southern mountains and foothills.

Approx. area:

Altitude range: > 1000 m; Annual rainfall: 400 ‒600 mm.

Localities: Mediterranean region not covered by forests, often treated as

degraded forest.

Vegetation: Dominant shrubs: Rhamnus palaestinus, Calicotome villosa,

Echinops spp, Dactylis glomerata, Teucrium polium, Ononis natrix, Ballota undulata, Eryngium glomeratum, Noaea mucronata.

Biogeography and endemism: Mediterranean; endemism: xxx

Calicotome villosa Te uc riu m p oliu m O no ni s n at rix Ballota undulata, N. mucronata is an invasive

species of arid and semi-arid rangelands within its native range (Egypt, Morocco, Iraq, Iran and Syria). New records at the limit of its range may indicate further spread (e.g. in southern Russia). It is spiny and generally unpalatable. It

increases in frequency and spreads following overgrazing, and its relative dominance is used as an indicator of poor rangeland management and land degradation.

7. STEPPE

Land classification: This vegetation forms a strip

surrounding the Mediterranean non-forest region, except in the North; excl. wooded areas and cultivations

Approx. area:

Altitude range: 1000 m; Annual rainfall: 400 ‒600 mm.

Localities:

Vegetation: Dominated by large shrubs; occasional tree species; composition varies in the north and south.

Shrubs: Pistacia atlantica, Retama raetam, Ziziphus lotus,

Z. nummularia, Ferula communis (north), Anabasis syriaca, Artemisia sieberi , Sarcopoterium spinosum (NE and S Mediterranean), Tamarix spp., Noaea mucronata,

Gypsophila arabica, Astragalus spinosus; geophytes: Crocus moabiticus. Aspodelus aestivus, Drimia maritima; Moraea sisyrinchium

Biogeography and endemism: Irano Turanian;

Mediterranean or Saharo-Arabian in parts; endemism: xxx

Moraea sisyrinchium Irano-Turanian/Med

Lasiopogon muscoides Sarcopoterium spinosum Pistacia atlantica Ar te m isia sie be ri

8. HAMMADA

Land classification: Eastern part of Jordan; wadis, wadi beds, wadi fans; gravel plains; stony and pebble plains; sandy plains or sand and gravel plains.

Altitude range: > 1000 m; Annual rainfall: 400 ‒600 mm.

Localities:

Vegetation: Wadis dominated by Acacia tortilis, A. raddiana, Tamarix spp., Artemisia judaica and A. monosperma, Lycium sp. , Retama raetam; Nitraria retusa, Amygdalus arabicus, Atriplex halimus Lycium europaeum, Artemisia sieberi, Achillea

fragrantissima. Phlomis brachyodon, Tamarix spp. Peganum harmala, Astragalus spp., Anabasis articulata, Atractylis mutica, Gynandriris sisyrinchium.

Gravelly areas: Seidlitzia rosmarinus, Spergularia diandra,

Herniaria hirsuta, Aaronsohnia factorovskyi, Anthemis deserti , Asteriscus pygmaeus, Mesembryanthemum nodiflorum, Filago desertorum , Gymnarrhena micrantha , Stipa capensis, Bromus spp. Trigonella stellata.

Araes with small stones and pebbles: Salsola vermiculata,

Anabasis articulata, Linum album ,Thymus bovei, Paracaryum rugulosum, Zilla spinosa, Halogeton alopecuroides, Diplotaxis harra, Euphorbia retusa, Alcea chrysantha, Atriplex leucoclada, Lepidium aucheri,

Sandy places: Seidlitzia rosmarinus, Atriplex spp. ,Artemisia,

Anabasis articulata, Achillea fragrantissima, Halocnemum strohilaceum,Ephedra transitoria , Deverra triradiata, Calligonum tetrapterum, Zilla spinosa.

Deciduous oak forest

Juniper woodland

Hammada

Sand dune vegetation

Evergreen oak forest Pine forest

Mediterranean non forest zone Tropical

Conservation

Protected areas in Jordan

Source: RSCN

Integrated Terrestrial and Marine Habitat Map of the Arabian Peninsula

Environment Agency Abu Dhabi (EAD), Abu Dhabi Global Environment Data Information (AGEDI), UNEP (2012)

Transformed Degraded Natural

Transformed Degraded Natural

Habitat condition

Integrated Terrestrial and Marine Habitat Map of the Arabian Peninsula

Threat Status of Ecosystems Endangered Protected areas Vulnerable Least Threatened Moderately protected

Transformed areas

Protected areas Priority focus areas

Thank you

Acknowledgements

HRH Princess Basma Bint Ali

Staff of Royal Botanic Garden Jordan Kamal

Eihab Eid (RSCN) Malik (RSCN)

Avinoam Danin, HUJ

Gwil Lewis (Herbarium, RBG Kew) Nicholas Hind (Herbarium, RBG Kew) Maria Vorontosa ((Herbarium, RBG Kew) Steven Bachman (GIS, RBG Kew)