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ISSN: 2320-5407 Int. J. Adv. Res. 8(09), 945-949
945
Journal Homepage: -www.journalijar.com
Article DOI:10.21474/IJAR01/11746
DOI URL: http://dx.doi.org/10.21474/IJAR01/11746
RESEARCH ARTICLE
UMBILICUS TROPAEOLIFOLIUSBOISS(CRASSULACEAE ) A NEW RECORD TO THE FLORA OF
THE ARABIAN PENINSULA
Abdul Wali A. Al-Khulaidi1,2, Ahmed Gushash3 and Awad A. Algarni1
1. Department of Biology, Faculty of Science and Arts, Albaha University, Baljurashi, KSA.
2. Agricultural Research and Extension Authority, Taiz, Yemen.
3. Department of Arabic Language, Faculty of Science and Arts, Albaha University, Baljurashi, KSA.
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Manuscript Info Abstract
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Manuscript History
Received: 20 July 2020
Final Accepted: 24 August 2020
Published: September 2020
Key words:-
New Plant Records, Flora of Saudi
Arabia, Arabian Peninsula, Umbilicus
The plant diversity Sowth West of the Arabian Peninsula is considered
to be very high due to its location, variation of climates, and
geographical features. Generally, the Arabian Peninsula characterized
by a very rich flora and is still not explored well. During the field
survey of rare plant species, the authors collected a specimen of new
taxa from the remote and inaccessible habitats in Jabal Ibrahim of the
Asir region, Saudi Arabia. The plant was not reported so far in the flora
of the Arabian Peninsula. The present paper deals with the record of
one new plant species (Umbilicus tropaeolifolius Boiss) to the flora of
Saudi Arabia and the Arabian Peninsula. The plant has a very small
population range and very limited occupancy. The plant specimen was
collected and later on identified and described with the available flora
reference and with contact of a botanist.
Copy Right, IJAR, 2020,. All rights reserved.
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Introduction:-
Jabal Ibrahim, also called Jabal Bather and Jabal Al-Abyad. It is a is a granite mountain within the Hijaz mountain
range in southwestern Saudi Arabia, center of QureiBani Malik, and located 80 Km. NW al Baha city (Figure 1).
That mountain is distinguished from other neighboring mountains by its high altitude, as its height is estimated at
about 2,604 meters above sea level (Bird Life International, 2020).
Umbilicus is a genus of 10-12 species of flowering plants in the family Crassulaceae, it is perennial glabrous plant
characterized by circular, succulent leaves, mostly with a tuberous or rhizome roo tstocks (Hedberg, & Edwards,
1989; Miller and Cope, 1996). The inflorescence is a long stem bearing many drooping tubular or bell-shaped
flowers and most of the plants in this genus have peltate leaves except Umbilicus oppositifolius which has saxifrage-
like leaves (https://succulent-plant.com/families/crassulaceae/umbilicus.html).
The main distribution of Umbilicus tropaeolifolius is in Turkey (Rüstemoğlu and Beçet, 2015), Iran (Kanani, 2016;
Veiskarami&Sharifi-Tehrani, 2017) and Iraq (Hameed and Uzun, 2016; Key Biodiversity Survey of Iraq, 2010). In
Flora of Somalia vol. 4: 277 (1995) and Vol 1, (1993), Thulin pointed out that the species also occurs between 1100
and 1500m in northern Somalia and Sudan (Thulin, 2008). (Figure 1). There is also a very similar plant to U.
tropaeolifolius named as U.paniculiformisWickens from the Red Sea Hills in Sudan (Wickens, 1997) and northern
Eritrea (Hedberg, & Edwards, 1989).
Corresponding Author:- Abdul Wali A. Al-Khulaidi
Address:- Department of Biology, Faculty of Science and Arts, Albaha University, Baljurashi, KSA.
ISSN: 2320-5407 Int. J. Adv. Res. 8(09), 945-949
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Figure 1:- The distribution of the plant in the world.
U.tropaeolifolius is considered as first record from the Arabian Peninsula, although the occurrence is fairly close to
the localities in Sudan across the Red Sea (Thulin, 2008). Two plant species of Umbilicus, U. rupestris (Salisb.)
Dandy and U. horizontalis (Guss.) DC. with 2 varaities (var horizontalisand var. intermedius) were recorded from
Arabian Peninsula, mainly between 1000 and 2950m, (Wood, 1977; Miller and Cope,1996; Collenette, 1999; and
Al-Khulaidi, 2013). U. horizontalis var. intermedius(Boiss.) D.F.Chamb. consideredinKew science resourceas as a
synonyme of U.intermedius Boiss (https://www.ipni.org/n/276961-1), which raised the Umbilicus species in Arabian
Peninsula including U.tropaeolifoliusto four species.
The present paper deals with a morphological description and geographical distribution of unknown and new plant
species. The aim of the study is to add a new plant that has not been previously recordedto the Saudi Arabian’s and
Arabian Peninsula’s plants.
The location area:
:U.tropaeolifolius is found at Jabal Ibrahim, Asir region, 75 Km. NW al Baha city, Saudi Arabia
Materials and Methods:-
Several visits were made in the Asir region for the rare plant species survey during 2019 in different seasons.
Unknown plants was found inside a cave, in Jabal Ibrahim, Asir region. The identification and description of
collected plant samples have been done with the relevant literature (Wickens, G. E. (1997: Thulin, 2008; Hedberg,
ISSN: 2320-5407 Int. J. Adv. Res. 8(09), 945-949
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& Edwards, 1989). The plant has been sufficiently dried, pressed and reserved in the Herbarium of Al-Baha
University, Saudi Arabia. Under: Al-Khulaidi; 9-2020
Result and Discussion:-
UmbilicustropaeolifoliusBoiss, Diagn. Pl. Orient. ser. 1, 3: 14 (1843). (Crassulaceae ):
Synonyms:
Cotyledontropaeolifolia Bornm., Beih. Bot. Centralbl., Abt. 2. 32(2): 389 (1914).
Umbilicusoxypetalus Boiss., Diagn. Pl. Orient. ser. 1, 3: 15 (1843).
Specimen: Jabal Ibrahim, Asir region, 75 Km. NW al Baha city, Saudi Arabia.
Description:
An erect or procumbent perennial herb. The stem up to 30 cm tall. leaves orbicular -peltate; petiole up to 6.5 cm
long; Cauline leaves alternate and smaller than basal leaves, blade from 2 to 5 cm in diameter, irregularly crenate-
lobbed margin. Inflorescence terminal, in panicle, erect to sub erect, up to 15 cm high, sparsely branched, bearing
many bell-shaped, white flowers, pedicle 2-3 cm. Calyx-lobes lanceolate, 2–3 mm long. Petals white 5-parted,
campanulate, up to 5 mm long, 5 carpels up to 5mm and 10 stamens.
ISSN: 2320-5407 Int. J. Adv. Res. 8(09), 945-949
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Figure 2:- Umbilicustropaeolifolius. A. inflorescence; B1&2. Habit; C. leaf’ D. opened flower with 5 carpels and 10
stamens; E. flower showing the calyx. Drown by Miss. Abeer Abdul Jalil.
Discussion:-
A large number of palaeotropical taxa belong to the Afromontane element are found in JibalAssurat including Jabal
Ibrahim, these plant species may arrived by migration from the East African mountain chains c. 15-35 million years
ago (Kürschner, 2008). It is expected with the extra exploring of the vegetation and the flora of the region to
discover new plants not previously recorded and additions to Flora of the Saudi Arabia and Arabian Peninsula, as
well as to the Flora of Arabian Peninsula.
U.tropaeolifolius and U. paniculiformisfrom Sudan, distinguished from other members of the genus by the
distinctive paniculate inflorescence (Wickens, 1997; Eggli, 2003) and deeply divided corolla (Hedberg, & Edwards,
1989). The different between the two species suggested to be the pedicel length, the pedicel in U.
paniculiformisranges between 2-6 mm (Wickens, 1997), while in U.tropaeolifolius ranges between 2-3 cm.
Molecular study is recommended to make sure that the two plants being different or the same.
Acknowledgment:-
We extend our thanks and appreciation to plant scientists Prof. Mats Thulin (Uppsala University, Sweden) and Prof.
Norbert Kilian from FreieUniversität Berlin for their involvements and discussions on naming and defining the
plant.
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