![Vegetation near Mukaynis](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/a/ab/Vegetation_near_Mukaynis.jpg)
The flora of Qatar includes more than 300 species of wild plants.
Qatar occupies a small desert peninsula that is around 80 km (50 miles) from east to west and 160 km (100 miles) from north to south. The climate is hot and humid with sporadic rain. Majority of the country is flat with an annual rainfall average of less than 3 inches. Arnebia hispidissim blooms yellow flowers annually in sandy soil. Glossonema edule has edible fruits with brownish-yellow flowers.
Vegetation is extremely sparse in the
hamada
A hamada ( ar, حمادة, ) is a type of desert landscape consisting of high, largely barren, hard rocky plateaus, where most of the sand has been removed by deflation. The majority of the Sahara is in fact hamada. Other examples are Negev dese ...
landscape due to the heavily weathered soil. A native species of tree, ''
Vachellia tortilis
''Vachellia tortilis'', widely known as ''Acacia tortilis'' but now attributed to the genus '' Vachellia'', is the umbrella thorn acacia, also known as ''umbrella thorn'' and Israeli babool, a medium to large canopied tree native to most of Afr ...
'' (known locally as ''samr'') is well adapted to the desert environment and one of the most common forms of vegetation in the country.
''
Tetraena qatarensis'' and ''
Lycium shawii
''Lycium shawii'', desert thorn or Arabian boxthorn is a species of thorny shrub adapted to desert environments, and can be found throughout the Arabian peninsula, and some places in Africa. The thin leaved, rigid bush grows up to high, with a ...
'' also grow in this landscape.
[Casey & Vine (1992), p. 78]
Shallow depressions referred to as ''rawdat'' constitute a more varied selection of plants since rainwater run-off is more likely to accumulate. ''
Ziziphus nummularia'' favors deeper soil in this type of habitat, whereas the grass ''
Cymbopogon parkeri'' is found in shallower soils. In the south of the peninsula, where groundwater is scarce, ''
Panicum turgidum
''Panicum turgidum'' is an old world clumping desert bunchgrass of the genus '' Panicum''. It is a plant of arid regions across Africa and Asia, and has been introduced to other parts of the world.
Description
''Panicum turgidum'' is a perennia ...
'' and V. tortilis grow in the wind-blown soils.
Vegetative distribution in the south is mostly concentrated in rawdas and in
wadi
Wadi ( ar, وَادِي, wādī), alternatively ''wād'' ( ar, وَاد), North African Arabic Oued, is the Arabic term traditionally referring to a valley. In some instances, it may refer to a wet (ephemeral) riverbed that contains water ...
s fed by run-off from nearby hills.
Natural areas
Natural areas in Qatar include:
*
Al Shahaniyah Park in
Al-Shahaniya
Al Shahaniya ( ar, الشحانية, Ash Shīḩānīyah) is a municipality (3299 km2) in Qatar, with its municipal seat has a city of the same name (39 km2). Formerly in the municipality of Al Rayyan, but now an independent municip ...
*
Al Wabra Wildlife Preservation
Al Wabra Wildlife Preservation (AWWP) is a privately owned wildlife preserve in the heart of Qatar founded by Qatari Prince Saud bin Muhammed Al Thani. The preservation accommodates the World Heritage Cycad Gene Bank (WHCGB), which operates in con ...
*
Khor Al Udeid Fish Sanctuary
*
Al Reem Biosphere Preserve (designated in 2007) is part of the
World Network of Biosphere Reserves in the Arab States
Under UNESCO's Man and the Biosphere Programme, there are 31 biosphere reserves recognised as part of the World Network of Biosphere Reserves in the African States and Arab States. These are distributed across 12 countries in the region .
Biosphe ...
*
Ras Ushairij Gazelle Conservation Park
*
Al Thakira Nature Reserve in
Al Thakhira
Al Thakhira ( ar, الذخيره, Adh Dhakhīrah, Ammunition) is a town on the coast of the Al Khor municipality in Qatar, about northeast of the city of Al Khor City and from the capital Doha. It is closely affiliated with Al Khor City, with b ...
[
* Khor Al Adaid in Khor Al Adaid][
* Ras Abrouq Nature Reserve (also known as Bir Zekreet (Zekreet Beach) in Ras Abrouq][Natural Landmarks]
Qatar Tourism Authority
* Umm Tais National Park[
]
Taxonomy
Class:
Psilotopsida
Ophioglossidae is one of the four subclasses of Polypodiopsida (ferns). This subclass consists of the ferns commonly known as whisk ferns, grape ferns, adder's-tongues and moonworts. It is equivalent to the class Psilotopsida in previous treat ...
Order:
Ophioglossales
Ophioglossaceae, the adder's-tongue family, is a small family of ferns. In the Pteridophyte Phylogeny Group classification of 2016 (PPG I), it is the only family in the order Ophioglossales, which together with the Psilotales is placed in the su ...
*Family: Ophioglossaceae
**Genus: Ophioglossum
''Ophioglossum'', the adder's-tongue ferns, is a genus of about 50 species of ferns in the family Ophioglossaceae. The name ''Ophioglossum'' comes from the Greek meaning "snake-tongue".
***''Ophioglossum polyphyllum (native)''
Class:
Magnoliopsida
Magnoliopsida is a valid botanical name for a class of flowering plants. By definition the class will include the family Magnoliaceae, but its circumscription can otherwise vary, being more inclusive or less inclusive depending upon the classif ...
Order:
Asterales
Asterales () is an order of dicotyledonous flowering plants that includes the large family Asteraceae (or Compositae) known for composite flowers made of florets, and ten families related to the Asteraceae. While asterids in general are charact ...
*Family: Asteraceae
The family Asteraceae, alternatively Compositae, consists of over 32,000 known species of flowering plants in over 1,900 genera within the order Asterales. Commonly referred to as the aster, daisy, composite, or sunflower family, Compositae w ...
**Genus: Reichardia
***'' Reichardia tingitana (native)'' (common names: , , and )
Order:
Caryophyllales
Caryophyllales ( ) is a diverse and heterogeneous order of flowering plants that includes the cacti, carnations, amaranths, ice plants, beets, and many carnivorous plants. Many members are succulent, having fleshy stems or leaves. The betalai ...
*Family: Amaranthaceae
Amaranthaceae is a family of flowering plants commonly known as the amaranth family, in reference to its type genus ''Amaranthus''. It includes the former goosefoot family Chenopodiaceae and contains about 165 genera and 2,040 species, making it ...
**Genus: Suaeda
__NOTOC__
''Suaeda'' is a genus of plants also known as seepweeds and sea-blites. Most species are confined to saline or alkaline soil habitats, such as coastal salt-flats and tidal wetlands. Many species have thick, succulent leaves, a character ...
*** Suaeda aegyptiaca
**Genus: Salsola
''Salsola'' is a genus of the subfamily Salsoloideae in the family Amaranthaceae. The genus ''sensu stricto'' is distributed in central and southwestern Asia, North Africa, and the Mediterranean. A common name of various members of this genus and ...
***'' Salsola rosmarinus''
*Family: Caryophyllaceae
Caryophyllaceae, commonly called the pink family or carnation family, is a family of flowering plants. It is included in the dicotyledon order Caryophyllales in the APG III system, alongside 33 other families, including Amaranthaceae, Cactacea ...
**Genus: Silene
''Silene'' is a genus of flowering plants in the family Caryophyllaceae. Containing nearly 900 species, it is the largest genus in the family. Common names include campion and catchfly. Many ''Silene'' species are widely distributed, particularl ...
***''Silene Arabica (native)''
*Family: Polygonaceae
The Polygonaceae are a family of flowering plants known informally as the knotweed family or smartweed—buckwheat family in the United States. The name is based on the genus '' Polygonum'', and was first used by Antoine Laurent de Jussieu in 1 ...
**Genus: Calligonum
''Calligonum'' is a genus of plants in the family Polygonaceae with about 80 species across the Mediterranean Sea region, Asia and North America.
Description
Plants of the genus ''Calligonum'' are shrubs, diffusely but irregularly branched, wi ...
***''Calligonum comosum (native)''
Order:
Malpighiales
The Malpighiales comprise one of the largest orders of flowering plants, containing about 36 families and more than species, about 7.8% of the eudicots. The order is very diverse, containing plants as different as the willow, violet, poinsett ...
*Family: Euphorbiaceae
Euphorbiaceae, the spurge family, is a large family of flowering plants. In English, they are also commonly called euphorbias, which is also the name of a genus in the family. Most spurges, such as '' Euphorbia paralias'', are herbs, but some, ...
**Genus: Mercurialis
***''Mercurialis annua
''Mercurialis annua'' is a species of flowering plant in the spurge family Euphorbiaceae known by the common name annual mercury or (rarely) French mercury. It is native to Europe, North Africa, and the Middle East but it is known on many other c ...
(introduced)''
Order:
Fabales
The Fabales are an order of flowering plants included in the rosid group of the eudicots in the Angiosperm Phylogeny Group II classification system. In the APG II circumscription, this order includes the families Fabaceae or legumes (including ...
*Family: Fabaceae
**Genus: Taverniera
''Taverniera'' is a genus of legume in the family Fabaceae.
It contains the following species:
* '' Taverniera sericophylla'' – Yemen
* '' Taverniera abyssinica'' – Ethiopia
Ethiopia, , om, Itiyoophiyaa, so, Itoobiya, ti, ኢት ...
***Taverniera spartea ''(native)''
**Genus: Senna
***''Senna occidentalis
''Senna occidentalis'' ndian vernacular name ''Usaya ki Fali''is a pantropical plant species, native to the Americas. The species was formerly placed in the genus '' Cassia''.
Vernacular names in English include septicweed, coffee senna, coffee ...
(introduced)''
Order:
Zygophyllales
The Zygophyllales are an order of dicotyledonous plants, comprising the following two families:
* Family Zygophyllaceae
* Family Krameriaceae
According to the Angiosperm Phylogeny Group (APG II) both families are unplaced to order, but nevert ...
*Family: Zygophyllaceae
Zygophyllaceae is a family of flowering plants that contains the bean-caper and caltrop. The family includes around 285 species in 22 genera.
Plants in the family Zygophyllaceae may be trees, shrubs, or herbs. They are often found in dry habit ...
**Genus: Tetraena
***'' Tetraena qatarensis (native)''
See also
* Fauna of Qatar
* Wildlife of Qatar
References
External links
Enature.qa - Encyclopedia of all flora in Qatar
Book of Trees in Qatar by the Ministry of Municipality and Environment
{{Asia in topic, Flora of
.Qatar
.Qatar