Download Plant diversity of

Plant Diversity of Saint Catherine
Protectorate
(Southern Sinai, Egypt)
By: Dr. Ahmed Faried
Lecturer at Botany & Microbiology Dept., Faculty
of Science, Assiut University
What is Biodiversity?
− The term biodiversity is used as a synonym for the “variety of
life”.
− Biological diversity = (Biodiversity) encompasses all species of
plants,
animals,
microorganisms,
the
ecosystems
and
ecological processes of which they are parts.
− It is an umbrella term for the degree of nature’s variety,
including both the number and frequency of ecosystems,
species, or genes in a given assemblage (McNeely et al., 1990).
Biodiversity as a concept
− In the context of conservation strategies, Soule (1991)
distinguishes Three divisions of biodiversity:
1) Genes;
2) Species;
3) And whole systems at the landscape or ecosystem level.
− The concept of biodiversity is so broad that it reflect
the linkages between genes, species and ecosystems.
− Therefore, whether wildlife products or services
from ecosystems are required or whether the aim is
merely to protect ecosystems for posterity, these
linkages must be reflected in the way humans
manage the world.
− The significance of biodiversity is seen particularly well at
species level. Species provide the food we eat, the plants
from which much of the world’s medicine comes, the
clothes we wear, the trees that re-oxygenate the air we
breath and many more benefits.
− Genes provides the variations that make the system strong.
− Ecosystems provide the habitats in which species can
thrive.
Taxa
No. of
Species
Notes
Flora
Bryophyta
337
Liverworts and mosses.
Pteridophyta
16
Non-flowering vascular plants.
6
Plants with no protective casing on the seeds.
Spermatophyta
Gymnospermae
Angiosperae
2072
Flowering plants: 62 endemic species.
Insecta
10000
New study estimates 15000 species.
Arachinda
1517
Mostly spiders, mites and ticks including 24
scorpion species.
Amphibia
9
Including 1 endemic.
Reptilia
97
Including 6 endemic and 1 endangered species.
Aves
470
Resident breeders 150; Migratory and
wintering 320.
Mammalia
95
Including 6 endemic and 20 endangered
species.
Terrestrial fauna
Invertebrata
Vertebrata
No. of
Species
Taxa
Notes
Maine fauna
Invertebrata
Fish
Vertebrata
1740
This is an extremely low estimate
669
This is an extremely low estimate
Turtles
5
All five species are endangered
Mammalia
14
Additionally, the Monk Seal and the Killer
Whale may be found
124
A low estimate
Fish
70
15 species have become extinct in the last
century
Reptilia
2
The Nile Crocodile and the Nile Soft-shelled
Turtle
Freshwater Fauna
Invertebrata
Vertebrata
Plant Diversity in Egypt
Total number of species
2145
Total number of families
Total number of genera
129
755
Gramineae (285 species in 110 genera)
Compositae (228 species in 98 genera)
Leguminosae (228 species in 45 genera)
Cruciferae (104 species in 53 genera)
Caryophyllaceae (87 species in 26 genera)
Chenopodiaceae (77 species in 20 genera)
Boraginaceae (58 species in 19 genera)
Scrophulariaceae (60 species in 17 genera)
Labiatae (55 species in 23 genera)
Euphorbiaceae (55 species in 8 genera)
Umbelliferae (49 species in 26 genera)
The largest families
The largest genera
Total number of Endemic Taxa
Total number of Near- Endemic
Taxa
Euphorbia ( 41 species).
Astragalus ( 33 species).
Silene ( 29 species).
Allium ( 21 species).
Convolvulus , Plantago ( 20 species).
Trifolium , Cyperus ( 19 species).
Lotus, Medicago, Atriplex, Bromus (18 species)
60
93
Protected areas of Egypt
To date, the nature conservation efforts in Egypt have
focused mainly on the establishment of a Protected Areas
Network, representative of the nation’s ecosystems, which
aim to maintain the diversity and viability of Egypt’s natural
heritage and its sustainable utilization.
During the past two decades, since the passage of law
102/1983 concerning the establishment of protected areas, 29
protected areas have been declared. Covering an area 91000
km2 or 9% of the land area of Egypt.
Protectorates Name
Declaration
Area
(km²)
Ras Muhammad National Park
1983
850
South Sinai
Azzaraniq Protectorate near
Arish
1985
230
North Sinai
Ahrash Protectorate near Rafah
1985
8
North Sinai
el-Omayed Protectorate near
Alamin
1986
700
Matrouh Governorate
Gebel Elba National Park
1986
35600
Red Sea Governorate
Saluga and Ghazal Protectorate
1986
0.5
Governorate
Aswan
Saint cathrine National Park
1988
5750 South Sinai
Ashtum El Gamil Protectorate
1988
180
Port Said
Lake Qarun Protectorate
1989
250
Fayoum
Wadi Elrayan Protectorate
1989
1225 Fayoum
Wadi Allaqi Protectorate
1989 30000 Aswan
Wadi el-Assuti Protectorate
1989
35
Assuit
El Hassana Dome Protectorate
1989
1
Giza
Petrified Forest Protectorate
1989
7
Cairo
Sannur Valley Cave Protectorate 1992
12
Beni Suef
Nabaq Protectorate
1992
600 South Sinai
Abu Galum Protectorate near Taba
1992
500 South Sinai
Taba Protectorate
1998 3595 South Sinai
Lake Burullus Protectorate
1998
460 Kafr El Sheikh
Nile Islands Protectorates
1998
160 All Governorates on the Nile
Wadi Degla Protectorate
1999
60
Siwa Oasis
2002 7800 Matrouh Governorate
White Desert
2002 3010 New Valley Governorate
Wadi el-Gemal National Park near
Hamata
2003 7450 Red Sea Governorate
Cairo
Saint Cathrine Protectorate
 Saint Catherine Protectorate is an Egyptian national park
in the south of Sinai. It encloses most of the mountainous
area of central South Sinai, including the country's highest
mountain, Mount Catherine (2641m, above sea level).
 Saint Catherine protectorate is located in latitude 28° 33′
20″ N, and longitude 33° 58′ 34″ E.
Map 1. Geographical location of St. Catherine protectorate
Geographical location
* St. Catherine protectorate is located between 33º 30' to 34º 30' E
and 28º 50' to 29º 50' N.
* The protectorate ara is described as predominantly smoothfaced granite outcrops forming Mountains such as Mt. Serbal
and Mt. El-Rabah. Black Mountains consisting of old
volcanic rocks are rather common.
Map 2. St. Catherine protectorate boundaries.
Previous studies
 The earliest notable accounts on the flora of the
peninsula are those of Fresenius and Decaisne which
were published in 1834.
 Boissier’s (1867-1888) monumental work“ Flora
Orientalis ”includes the most valuable information
about the flora of Sinai during the 19th century.
 Batanouny (1985) reviewed the history of the
botanical related explorations in Sinai. He divided
these explorations into seven periods.
*Among the contributions related to the flora of Sinai are
those of Boulos 1995, 1999, 2000, 2002 and 2005; El
Hadidi 1969 and 1989; El Hadidi & Fayed 1994/1995;
El Husseini & Hosni 1989; El Husseini & Zareh 1989;
El Karemy & El Naggar 1989; El Naggar 1989; Fayed
1989; Hassib 1951; Hosni 1989, a&b; Hosny 1989;
Kassas 1957; Migahid et al; 1959 Moustafa 1990;
Moustafa & Kamel 1995; Moustafa & Klopatek 1995;
Täckholm 1969 and 1974;Täckholm & Boulos 1972.
FIELD EXCURSIONS
•The results presented in this report are based on four
excursions to the study area between March and May
2004.
*Specimens of the plants have been collected.
*Photographs of many species have been taken.
*Field observations about the plants, their habitats and
their patterns of distribution as possible have also been
reported.
Flora of Saint Catherine
*A Checklist was provided.
*Taxa were arranged in alphabetical order.
*For each taxon; nomenclature are given.
Habitats and distribution in the study area, Egypt
as well as the general distribution are also
included.
Analysis of the checklist
1- Total number of species: 305.
2- Total number of genera: 223.
3- Total number of families: 54.
4- Species endemic to Sinai: 8
1. Bufonia multiceps
2. Euphorbia sanntae-catharinae
3. Phlomis aurea 4. Origanum syriacum subsp. sinaicum
5. Plantago sinaica
6. Polygala sinaica
7. Silene odontopetala 8. Primula sinaica
(5) Species in Egypt confined to Sinai: 36
1. Ajuga chamaepitys, 2. Alcea rosea, 3. Alkanna orientalis, 4. Alyssum
marginatum, 5. Anarrhinum pubescens subsp. inaequiglumis, 6.
Arenaria deflexa, 7. Bituminaria bituminosa, 8. Bolanthus hirsutus, 9.
Cotoneaster orbicularis, 10. Crataegus sinaicus, 11. Crucianella ciliata,
12. Echinops macrochaetus, 13. Ephedra pachyclada, 14. Euphorbia
chamaepeplus var. sinaica, 15. Ferula sinaica, 16. Galium
ceratopodium, 17. Gypsophila viscosa, 18. Hypericum sinaicum, 19.
Juncus punctorius, 20. Malcolmia africana, 21. Malva neglecta, 22.
Matthiola arabica, 23. Melica persica, 24. Nepeta septemcrenata, 25.
Periploca aphylla, 26. Phagnalon sinaicum, 27. Pterocephalus sanctus,
28. Pycnocycla tomentosa, 29. Reseda stenostachya, 30. Salvia
multicaulis, 31. Scandix stellata, 32. Scrophularia libanotica, 33.
Sisymbrium septulatum, 34. Solanum sinaicum, 35. Solanum villosum,
36. Tanacetum sinaicum .
(6) New records to the flora of Sinai: 17
1. Astragalus cretaceus, 2. Atractylis mernephtae, 3.
Carthamus nitidus, 4. Dianthus strictus, 5. Fumaria
bracteosa, 6. Galium setaceum, 7. Gymnarrhena
micrantha, 8. Helianthemum salicifolium, 9. Ifloga spicata
subsp .spicata, 10. Lygeum spartum, 11. Lotus arabicus, 12.
Matthiola longipetala, 13. Rumex simpliciflorus, 14.
Scorzonera schweinfurthii, 15. .Senecio hoggariensis, 16.
Umbilicus horizontalis, 17. Withania obtusifolia.
(7) New record to the flora of Egypt
Aegilops crassa Boiss.
(8) Target Species:
Out of 42 target species, the following 34 were recorded:
1. Adiantum capillus-veneris, 2. Anarrhinum pubescens, 3. Blepharis
edulis, 4. Bufonia multiceps, 5. Chiliadenus montanus, 6. Cleome
droserifolia, 7. Cotoneaster orbicularis, 8. Crataegus sinaica, 9.
Deverra triradiata, 10. Ephedra pachyclada, 11. Euphorbia sanctaecatharinae, 12. Foeniculum vulgare, 13. Glaucium arabicum, 14.
Globularia arabica, 15. Hyoscyamus pusillus, 16. Hypericum sinaicum,
17. Lindenbergia indica, 18. Moringa peregrina, 19. Nepeta
septemcrenata, 20. Origanum syriacum, 21. Otostegia fruticosa, 22.
Papaver decaisnei, 23. Phlomis aurea, 24. Pistacia khinjuk, 25.
Plantago sinaica, 26. Polygala sinaica, 27 .Primula boveana, 28.
Pycnocycla tomentosa, 29. Salvia multicaulis, 30. Solenostemma
arghel, 31. Tanacetum sinaicum, 32. Thymus decussatus, 33.
Verbascum sinaiticum, 34. Verbascum sinuatum
9. Medicinal plants:
1. Acacia tortilis subsp .raddiana,2. Adiantum capillus-veneris, 3. Anthemis
pseudocotula, 4. Artemisia judaica,5 .Asparagus stipularis, 6. Asphodelus
tenuifolius, 7. Blepharis edulis, 8. Calotropis procera, 9. Capparis spinosa, 10.
Citrullus colocynthis, 11. Cleome deoserifolia, 12. Convolvulus arvensis, 13.
Cotoneaster orbicularis ,14. Cotula cinerea, 15. Crotalaria aegyptiaca, 16.
Cuscuta planifolia, 17. Cynodon dactylon, 18. Devera tortuosa, 19. Ephedra
aphylla, 20. Erodium cicutarium,21 .Euphorbia helioscopia, 22. Fagonia
arabica, 23. Fagonia bruguieri, 24. Ferula sinaica, 25. Globularia Arabica ,26 .
Haloxylon salicornicum, 27. Heliotropium bacciferum, 28. Imperata cylindrica,
29. Launaea spinosa, 30. Leptadenia pyrotechnica, 31. Malva parviflora, 32.
Melilotus indicus, 33. Moringa peregrina, 34. Origanum syriacum, 35.
Otostegis frutocosa, 36. Panicum turgidum, 37. Peganum harmala, 38.
Pergularia tomentosa, 39. Phlomis aurea, 40. Phragmites australis,41. Plantago
afra, 42. Plantago ovata,43. Portulaca oleracea, 44. Primula boveana,45.
Pulicaria incisa, 46. Retama raetam,47. Rumex vesicarius, 48. Salvia
aegyptiaca, 49. Senna italica, 50. Solenostemma arghel, 51. Teucrium polium,
52. Thymus decassatus, 53. Tribulus terrestis, 54. Urospermum picroides, 55.
Verbascum sinuatum, 56. Zilla spinosa, 57. Ziziphus spina-christi, 58.
Zygophyllum coccineum.
10. Threatened species:
a. Rare : Micromeris sinaica & Scrophularia libanotica.
b.Volnerable: 1. Ephedra ciliata, 2. Atraphaxis spinosa
var .sinaica, 3. Matthiola arabica, 4. Moringa peregrina,
5. Crataegus sinaica, 6. Cotoneaster orbicularis, 7.
Colutea istria, 8. Polygala sinaica, 9. Pistacia khinjuk,
10. Teucrium leucladum, 11. Withania obtusifolia,
12. Pterocephalus sanctus, 13. Conyza stricta, 14.
Tanacetum sinaicum, 15. Scariola orientalis, 16.
Solanum sinaicum.
c.Endangered: 1. Ephedra pachyclada subsp. sinaica 2.
Bufinia multiceps, 3. Thymus decussatus, 4. Phlomis
aurea, 5. Phagnalon sinaicum, 6. Anarrhinum
pubescens.
RECOMMENDATIONS FOR CONSERVATION
The flora of Sinai is composed of a “Skeleton” of very few
common species that almost cover the area most of the
time, many rare species have a limited distribution in time
or space (Danin et al. 1985( .The rare species are either true
rare species that are local endemics or poorly recorded
ones.
From the floristic point of view based on the
field survey, we suggest the following
recommendations:
* Carrying out a detailed long term botanical
survey for the true rare species as well as for
the poorly recorded ones.
* Establishment of a Botanical Garden for
conservation purposes. The first priority
should be directed to the threatened species.
*Establishment of a National Herbarium at Saint
Catherine .The intended herbarium should
serve the following purposes:
- As a depository for plant collections
- As a sourse of plant material.
- As an educational facility.
- As a mean of confirming the identification
of unknown plant specimens.
- When coupled with a suitable botanical
library and a simple laboratory, the intended
herbarium would form an almost self-sufficient
which would attract botanists of all disciplines to
the area.
* We suggest the construction of a Hema
system area as well as an encloser:
-The Hema system area :Should be in
Gebel Serbal region; between Hajar
Umm Bardeya and Ain Alloza ‫(حجر أم‬
;)‫عين اللوزة‬-‫ بردية‬GPS coordinates:
28,63396 N, 33.65151 E & 28.65327 N,
33.63987 E , in order to conserve Pistacia
khinjuk var .glabra.
Pistacia khinjuk var .glabra.
-The encloser should be in Wadi Gebal region,
namely at Sadd Abou Hebeeq )‫( (سد أبو حبيق‬GPS
coordinates: 28.3340 N, 33.5227 E ,1631 alt, in
order to conserve Primula boveana).
Primula boveana is a true rare species. It is
found only in few dripping springs in N-facing
cliffs at high elevations in Saint Catherine
(Zaghloul, 1997(. According to Boulos (2000),
the species seems to be restricted to the Saint
Catherine Mountain area, Sinai, where the type
was collected by N. Bové in June 1832.
Primula boveana: Endemic, Threatened
The research team and their assistants heading for an excursion in wadi Gemal. The
team used camels in their trips as the only mean of transport in such rocky roads
Camping "tents" where the team spent their evenings sleeping for a short time.
The leader of the research team "camping" under such rocks with cloth cupboards outside.
Assistants preparing dough to make pastries, the main item of the team's meals.
Gymnarrhena micrantha: New record to Sinai
Ifloga spicata subsp .spicata: New record to Sinai
Scorzonera schweinfurthi: New record to Sinai; rare
Senecio hoggariensis: New record to Sinai, rare
Phlomis aurea: Endemic ;MP
Origanum syriacum subsp. sinaicum : Endemic;
MP
Hyoscyamus boveanus: Endemic
Plantago sinaica: Endemic
Alkanna orientalis: In Egypt confined to Sinai
Periploca aphylla: In Egypt confined to Sinai; rare
Pycnocycla tomentosa:In Egypt confined to Sinai; rare
Ferula sinaica: In Egypt confined to Sinai; MP
Hypericum sinaicum: In Egypt confined to Sinai
Nepeta septemcrenata: In Egypt confined to Sinai
Salvia multicaulis
In Egypt confined to Sinai; rare
Echinops macrochaetus:
In Egypt confined to Sinai; rare
Cleome droserifolia: MP; rare
Blepharis edulis: MP;rare
Solenostemma arghel: MP; rare
Adiantum capillus-veneris: MP; rare
Cotula cinerea: MP; rare
Teucrium polium: MP; rare
Atraphaxis spinosa var .Sinaica: Threatened
Colutea istria: Threatened
Crataegus sinaicus:Threatened
Polygala sinaica : Endemic,Threatened
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