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Puncture vine (Tribulus omanense)
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Find out here.Puncture vine fact file
- Description
- Biology
- Range
- Habitat
- Status
- Threats
- Conservation
- Find out more
- Glossary
- References
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Puncture vine description
| Kingdom | Plantae |
| Phylum | Tracheophyta |
| Class | Magnoliopsida |
| Order | Sapindales |
| Family | Zygophyllaceae |
| Genus | Tribulus (1) |
A branching desert shrub that is superbly adapted to arid environments, Tribulus omanense has a stout base and very long tap roots, anchoring the plant in unstable, sandy conditions and increasing its ability to obtain water. The small, often overlapping leaves are oblong- or elliptical-shaped, growing in opposite pairs along the stems. Tribulus omanense produces bright yellow flowers on pedicels at the axils of smaller leaves, each composed of five distinct and widely spreading petals, with several nectar secreting glands fused to form a cup-like structure inside the flower (2).
There is much confusion surrounding the accepted taxonomy of Tribulus omanense, with some scientists considering this species to be a variant of Tribulus arabicus or Tribulus macropterus (var. arabicus) (2) (3).
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Related species
Puncture vine biology
Very little information is available on the biology of Tribulus omanense; however, it has been observed to flower and fruit between April and September (4), with the hardened fruit splitting into five segments when it becomes mature (2). It is a perennial species, often recorded in close association with the sedge species Cyperus conglomeratus (2) (3) (4).
TopPuncture vine range
Tribulus omanense is found in Oman, Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates and Yemen (2) (3).
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Species with a similar range
Puncture vine habitat
Tribulus omanense inhabits arid and semi-arid areas, often on deep, undulating sand, open dunes and on gravel flats (3) (4).
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Species found in a similar habitat
Puncture vine status
Tribulus omanense has yet to be classified by the IUCN.
TopPuncture vine threats
There are no known threats to Tribulus omanense.
TopPuncture vine conservation
There are no known conservation measures in place for Tribulus omanense.
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Environment Agency - Abu Dhabi is a principal sponsor of ARKive. EAD is working to protect and conserve the environment as well as promoting sustainable development in the Emirate of Abu Dhabi. |
Find out more
To find out more about conservation in the United Arab Emirates, see:
-
Environment Agency, Abu Dhabi:
http://www.ead.ae/en
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Glossary
- Axils
- The angle between the upper side of a leaf or stem and the supporting stem or branch.
- Pedicels
- In plants, pedicels are small stalks bearing a single flower within an inflorescence (the flower-bearing reproductive shoot of the plant).
- Perennial
- A plant that normally lives for more than two seasons. After an initial period, the plant produces flowers once a year.
- Taxonomy
- The science of classifying organisms, grouping together animals which share common features and are thought to have a common ancestor.
References
-
GBIF (December, 2010)
http://www.gbif.org/ - Al-Hemaid, F. and Thomas, J. (1996) Review of the genus Tribulus L. in Saudi Arabia. Arab Gulf Journal of Scientific Research, 14(2): 415-443.
- Hellyer, P. and Aspinall, S. (2005) The Emirates: A Natural History. Trident Press Limited, London.
- Western, R.A. (1991) Distribution of Tribulus species in the UAE. Tribulus, 1(1): 1-3.
More »Related species
This species is featured in:
This species is featured in Jewels of the UAE, which showcases biodiversity found in the United Arab Emirates in association with the Environment Agency – Abu Dhabi.
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Image credit
Puncture vine in bloom
© Drew Gardner
Dr Drew Gardner
asgardner@gmail.com
http://www.flickr.com/photos/drewgardner/
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