The Ministry of Environment, Water and Agriculture and NEOM have discovered eight native plant species that were not previously recorded in the Kingdom, the Saudi Press Agency reported on Wednesday. This discovery is part of the NEOM flora program, which aims to protect 95 percent of natural lands and restore and document the region’s unique biodiversity.
The two-phase program included a comprehensive study of the geology, soil, watershed hydrology, ecology and topography of NEOM.
The eight species are: Bituminaria flaccida (Nabelek) Greuter, Cicer judaicum Boiss, Crambe hispanica L, Diplotaxis tenuifolia (L.) DC, Hyoscyamus boveanus (Dunal) Asch & Schweinf, Muscari longipes subsp Longipes, Phagnalon nitidum Fresen, and Plantago sinaica (Barneoud) Decne.
"Over the past two and a half years, this initiative has yielded remarkable results, including documenting 345 local plant species, 28 rare species, and eight new registered plant species not previously recorded in the Kingdom." - Dhiya Zaidan, senior manager of landscape architecture at NEOM
Launched in 2021, the NEOM flora program is a key initiative to document and conserve the region’s natural heritage, enhancing knowledge of local vegetation and plant species.
Read the full story at Arab News
