Jabal Lawz (Lauz) |
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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 |
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.
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Jabal Lawz, Two views from north facing sides |
Astracantha echinus |
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Jabal Lawz, a northern gully |
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Jabal Lawz, south-eastern slope dominated by Pulicaria glutinosa |
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Prunus korshinskyi |
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Nepeta cilicica |
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Alyssum subspinosum
Origanum syriacum |
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Ballota adenophora |
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Atraphaxis spinosa |
Page written and managed by Dr. Jacob Thomas, Dept. of Botany & Microbiology, College of Science, King Saud University, P.O. Box 2455, Riyadh 11451, Saudi Arabia. |