Plants native to Socotra

We document 309 of the 727 species Kew’s World Checklist records as native to Socotra. Native means native: introduced, extinct and doubtful records are excluded, so this is where these plants are from, not everywhere they now grow.

Documented 309 Native, per Kew 727 Coverage 43% TDWG SOC

Best documented by photographic coverage

Every documented species 309 native to Socotra

SpeciesAuthorityFamily Photographs
Abutilon fruticosum Guill. & Perr. Malvaceae 8
Acalypha indica L. Euphorbiaceae 8
Achyranthes aspera L. Amaranthaceae 8
Actiniopteris semiflabellata Pic.Serm. Pteridaceae 8
Adenium obesum (Forssk.) Roem. & Schult. Apocynaceae 8
Adiantum aethiopicum L. Pteridaceae 8
Adiantum capillus-veneris L. Pteridaceae 8
Adiantum poiretii Wikstr. Pteridaceae 8
Aeluropus lagopoides (L.) Thwaites Poaceae 8
Aerva javanica (Burm.f.) Juss. ex Schult. Amaranthaceae 8
Aizoon canariense L. Aizoaceae 8
Aloe perryi Baker Asphodelaceae 8
Alysicarpus vaginalis (L.) DC. Fabaceae 8
Ammannia baccifera L. Lythraceae 8
Andrachne telephioides L. Phyllanthaceae 8
Apluda mutica L. Poaceae 8
Arenaria serpyllifolia L. Caryophyllaceae 8
Aristida adscensionis L. Poaceae 8
Arthraxon hispidus (Thunb.) Makino Poaceae 8
Arthraxon lancifolius (Trin.) Hochst. Poaceae 8
Asparagus africanus Lam. Asparagaceae 8
Asphodelus tenuifolius Cav. Asphodelaceae 8
Asplenium aethiopicum (Burm.f.) Becherer Aspleniaceae 8
Asplenium cordatum Sw. Aspleniaceae 8
Asystasia intrusa (Forssk.) Blume Acanthaceae 8
Atriplex farinosa Forssk. Chenopodiaceae 8
Avicennia marina (Forssk.) Vierh. Acanthaceae 8
Bacopa monnieri (L.) Wettst. Plantaginaceae 8
Ballochia atrovirgata Balf.f. Acanthaceae 8
Blepharis maderaspatensis (L.) B.Heyne ex Roth Acanthaceae 8
Boerhavia diffusa L. Nyctaginaceae 8
Bulbostylis barbata (Rottb.) C.B.Clarke Cyperaceae 8
Capparis cartilaginea Decne. Capparaceae 8
Capparis decidua (Forssk.) Edgew. Capparaceae 8
Carissa spinarum L. Apocynaceae 8
Caylusea hexagyna (Forssk.) M.L.Green Resedaceae 8
Cenchrus ciliaris L. Poaceae 8
Cenchrus setaceus (Forssk.) Morrone Poaceae 8
Centaurium pulchellum (Sw.) Hayek ex Hand.-Mazz., Stadlm., Janch. & Faltis Gentianaceae 8
Centaurium tenuiflorum (Hoffmanns. & Link) Fritsch Gentianaceae 8
Centella asiatica (L.) Urb. Apiaceae 8
Ceropegia racemosa N.E.Br. Apocynaceae 8
Chamaecrista absus (L.) H.S.Irwin & Barneby Fabaceae 8
Chenopodiastrum murale (L.) S.Fuentes, Uotila & Borsch Chenopodiaceae 8
Chloris pycnothrix Trin. Poaceae 8
Choristosoria viridis (Forssk.) Windham & Schuettp. Pteridaceae 8
Christella dentata (Forssk.) Brownsey & Jermy Thelypteridaceae 8
Chrozophora oblongifolia (Delile) A.Juss. ex Spreng. Euphorbiaceae 8
Chrozophora tinctoria (L.) A.Juss. Euphorbiaceae 8
Chrysopogon serrulatus Trin. Poaceae 8
Cissus subaphylla (Balf.f.) Planch. Vitaceae 8
Cistanche tubulosa (Schenk) Wight ex Hook.f. Orobanchaceae 8
Citrullus colocynthis (L.) Schrad. Cucurbitaceae 8
Cleome gynandra L. Cleomaceae 8
Cleome viscosa L. Cleomaceae 8
Coleus cylindraceus (Hochst. ex Benth.) A.J.Paton Lamiaceae 8
Commelina benghalensis L. Commelinaceae 8
Commelina forskaolii Vahl Commelinaceae 8
Convolvulus siculus L. Convolvulaceae 8
Corbichonia decumbens (Forssk.) Exell Corbichoniaceae 8
Crassula alata A.Berger Crassulaceae 8
Crassula schimperi C.A.Mey. Crassulaceae 8
Cucumis prophetarum L. Cucurbitaceae 8
Cuscuta planiflora Ten. Convolvulaceae 8
Cyanotis cristata (L.) D.Don Commelinaceae 8
Cynanchum gerrardii (Harv.) Liede Apocynaceae 8
Cynanchum viminale (L.) L. Apocynaceae 8
Cynodon dactylon (L.) Pers. Poaceae 8
Cyperus brevifolius (Rottb.) Hassk. Cyperaceae 8
Cyperus compressus L. Cyperaceae 8
Cyperus conglomeratus Rottb. Cyperaceae 8
Cyperus cyperoides (L.) Kuntze Cyperaceae 8
Cyperus difformis L. Cyperaceae 8
Cyperus laevigatus L. Cyperaceae 8
Cyperus longus L. Cyperaceae 8
Cyperus mindorensis (Steud.) Huygh Cyperaceae 8
Cyperus pumilus L. Cyperaceae 8
Cyperus rotundus L. Cyperaceae 8
Cyperus rubicundus Vahl Cyperaceae 8
Cyperus squarrosus L. Cyperaceae 8
Dactyloctenium aegyptium (L.) Willd. Poaceae 8
Dichanthium annulatum (Forssk.) Stapf Poaceae 8
Dicliptera paniculata (Forssk.) I.Darbysh. Acanthaceae 8
Dicoma tomentosa Cass. Asteraceae 8
Digitaria ciliaris (Retz.) Koeler Poaceae 8
Dodonaea viscosa Jacq. Sapindaceae 8
Doryopteris concolor (Langsd. & Fisch.) Kuhn & Decken Pteridaceae 8
Dracaena cinnabari Balf.f. Asparagaceae 8
Echinochloa colona (L.) Link Poaceae 8
Eleocharis geniculata (L.) Roem. & Schult. Cyperaceae 8
Emex spinosa (L.) Campd. Polygonaceae 8
Enneapogon desvauxii P.Beauv. Poaceae 8
Eragrostis barrelieri Daveau Poaceae 8
Eragrostis cilianensis (All.) Vignolo ex Janch. Poaceae 8
Eragrostis ciliaris (L.) R.Br. Poaceae 8
Eragrostis minor Host Poaceae 8
Euclea divinorum Hiern Ebenaceae 8
Eulophia petersii (Rchb.f.) Rchb.f. Orchidaceae 8
Euphorbia arbuscula Balf.f. Euphorbiaceae 8
Euphorbia granulata Forssk. Euphorbiaceae 8
Euphorbia inaequilatera Sond. Euphorbiaceae 8
Euphorbia schimperi C.Presl Euphorbiaceae 8
Euploca ovalifolia (Forssk.) Diane & Hilger Heliotropiaceae 8
Euploca strigosa (Willd.) Diane & Hilger Heliotropiaceae 8
Euryops arabicus Steud. ex Jaub. & Spach Asteraceae 8
Evolvulus alsinoides (L.) L. Convolvulaceae 8
Exacum affine Balf.f. ex Regel Gentianaceae 8
Ficus salicifolia Vahl Moraceae 8
Fimbristylis complanata (Retz.) Link Cyperaceae 8
Fimbristylis cymosa R.Br. Cyperaceae 8
Fimbristylis dichotoma (L.) Vahl Cyperaceae 8
Fimbristylis ferruginea (L.) Vahl Cyperaceae 8
Flueggea leucopyrus Willd. Phyllanthaceae 8
Flueggea virosa (Roxb. ex Willd.) Royle Phyllanthaceae 8
Frankenia pulverulenta L. Frankeniaceae 8
Galium spurium L. Rubiaceae 8
Gastridium phleoides (Nees & Meyen) C.E.Hubb. Poaceae 8
Gisekia pharnaceoides L. Gisekiaceae 8
Glinus lotoides L. Molluginaceae 8
Grewia tenax (Forssk.) Fiori Malvaceae 8
Grona triflora (L.) H.Ohashi & K.Ohashi Fabaceae 8
Hackelochloa granularis (L.) Kuntze Poaceae 8
Helinus integrifolius (Lam.) Kuntze Rhamnaceae 8
Heliotropium zeylanicum Lam. Heliotropiaceae 8
Heteropogon contortus (L.) P.Beauv. ex Roem. & Schult. Poaceae 8
Hibiscus lobatus (Murray) Kuntze Malvaceae 8
Hibiscus micranthus L.f. Malvaceae 8
Hibiscus palmatus Forssk. Malvaceae 8
Hibiscus sidiformis Baill. Malvaceae 8
Hibiscus vitifolius L. Malvaceae 8
Hyparrhenia hirta (L.) Stapf Poaceae 8
Hypericum scopulorum Balf.f. Hypericaceae 8
Hypoestes pubescens Balf.f. Acanthaceae 8
Hypoxis angustifolia Lam. Hypoxidaceae 8
Imperata cylindrica (L.) Raeusch. Poaceae 8
Indigofera cordifolia B.Heyne ex Roth Fabaceae 8
Indigofera nephrocarpa Balf.f. Fabaceae 8
Ipomoea biflora (L.) Pers. Convolvulaceae 8
Ipomoea obscura (L.) Ker Gawl. Convolvulaceae 8
Ipomoea pes-caprae (L.) R.Br. Convolvulaceae 8
Ischaemum impressum Hack. Poaceae 8
Jasminum fluminense Vell. Oleaceae 8
Jatropha unicostata Balf.f. Euphorbiaceae 8
Jubogalium setaceum (Lam.) Kadereit & Schneew. Rubiaceae 8
Juncus bufonius L. Juncaceae 8
Juncus rigidus Desf. Juncaceae 8
Kalanchoe farinacea Balf.f. Crassulaceae 8
Kalanchoe rotundifolia Haw. Crassulaceae 8
Kohautia socotrana Bremek. Rubiaceae 8
Korthalsella japonica (Thunb.) Engl. Santalaceae 8
Lachnocapsa spathulata Balf.f. Brassicaceae 8
Lavandula nimmoi Benth. Lamiaceae 8
Leucas martinicensis (Jacq.) R.Br. Lamiaceae 8
Limonium sokotranum (Vierh.) Radcl.-Sm. Plumbaginaceae 8
Linum trigynum L. Linaceae 8
Lotus glinoides Delile Fabaceae 8
Lysimachia arvensis (L.) U.Manns & Anderb. Primulaceae 8
Lythrum hyssopifolia L. Lythraceae 8
Maerua angolensis DC. Capparaceae 8
Malva parviflora L. Malvaceae 8
Medicago laciniata (L.) Mill. Fabaceae 8
Medicago minima (L.) Bartal. Fabaceae 8
Medicago polymorpha L. Fabaceae 8
Megathyrsus maximus (Jacq.) B.K.Simon & S.W.L.Jacobs Poaceae 8
Melinis repens (Willd.) Zizka Poaceae 8
Misopates orontium (L.) Raf. Plantaginaceae 8
Monolluma socotrana (Balf.f.) Meve & Liede Apocynaceae 8
Najas marina L. Hydrocharitaceae 8
Nechamandra alternifolia (Roxb. ex Wight) Thwaites Hydrocharitaceae 8
Ochradenus socotranus A.G.Mill. Resedaceae 8
Oldenlandia corymbosa L. Rubiaceae 8
Oldenlandia herbacea (L.) Roxb. Rubiaceae 8
Ophioglossum polyphyllum A.Braun ex Seub. Ophioglossaceae 8
Oplismenus burmanni (Retz.) P.Beauv. Poaceae 8
Oplismenus compositus (L.) P.Beauv. Poaceae 8
Orobanche minor Sm. Orobanchaceae 8
Orobanche ramosa L. Orobanchaceae 8
Osyris lanceolata Hochst. & Steud. Santalaceae 8
Oxygonum sinuatum Dammer Polygonaceae 8
Panicum turgidum Forssk. Poaceae 8
Parietaria debilis G.Forst. Urticaceae 8
Patellifolia procumbens (C.Sm. ex Hornem.) A.J.Scott, Ford-Lloyd & J.T.Williams Chenopodiaceae 8
Pedalium murex L. Pedaliaceae 8
Peperomia leptostachya Hook. & Arn. Piperaceae 8
Peperomia tetraphylla (G.Forst.) Hook. & Arn. Piperaceae 8
Pergularia tomentosa L. Apocynaceae 8
Persicaria glabra (Willd.) M.Gómez Polygonaceae 8
Phyla nodiflora (L.) Greene Verbenaceae 8
Phyllanthus maderaspatensis L. Phyllanthaceae 8
Pittosporum viridiflorum Sims Pittosporaceae 8
Plantago ovata Forssk. Plantaginaceae 8
Pleopeltis macrocarpa (Bory ex Willd.) Kaulf. Polypodiaceae 8
Polygala erioptera DC. Polygalaceae 8
Polypogon monspeliensis (L.) Desf. Poaceae 8
Portulaca oleracea L. Portulacaceae 8
Portulaca quadrifida L. Portulacaceae 8
Potamogeton nodosus Poir. Potamogetonaceae 8
Pteridium aquilinum (L.) Kuhn Dennstaedtiaceae 8
Pteris cretica L. Pteridaceae 8
Pteris vittata L. Pteridaceae 8
Pupalia lappacea (L.) Juss. Amaranthaceae 8
Reichardia tingitana (L.) Roth Asteraceae 8
Remusatia vivipara (Roxb.) Schott Araceae 8
Rhynchosia minima (L.) DC. Fabaceae 8
Ruellia insignis Balf.f. Acanthaceae 8
Ruellia patula Jacq. Acanthaceae 8
Ruppia maritima L. Ruppiaceae 8
Salvadora persica L. Salvadoraceae 8
Schmidtia pappophoroides Steud. ex J.A.Schmidt Poaceae 8
Senna alexandrina Mill. Fabaceae 8
Setaria geminata (Forssk.) Veldkamp Poaceae 8
Setaria pumila (Poir.) Roem. & Schult. Poaceae 8
Setaria verticillata (L.) P.Beauv. Poaceae 8
Sida acuta Burm.f. Malvaceae 8
Sigesbeckia orientalis L. Asteraceae 8
Sisymbrium erysimoides Desf. Brassicaceae 8
Sonchus oleraceus L. Asteraceae 8
Sterculia africana (Lour.) Fiori Malvaceae 8
Striga asiatica (L.) Kuntze Orobanchaceae 8
Striga gesnerioides (Willd.) Vatke Orobanchaceae 8
Stuckenia filiformis (Pers.) Börner Potamogetonaceae 8
Stuckenia pectinata (L.) Börner Potamogetonaceae 8
Tamarix aphylla (L.) H.Karst. Tamaricaceae 8
Tephrosia purpurea (L.) Pers. Fabaceae 8
Tephrosia uniflora Pers. Fabaceae 8
Themeda triandra Forssk. Poaceae 8
Trachyspermum pimpinelloides H.Wolff Apiaceae 8
Tragus berteronianus Schult. Poaceae 8
Tribulus terrestris L. Zygophyllaceae 8
Trichodesma microcalyx Balf.f. Boraginaceae 8
Umbilicus horizontalis (Guss.) DC. Crassulaceae 8
Urochloa deflexa (Schumach.) H.Scholz Poaceae 8
Urtica urens L. Urticaceae 8
Utricularia striatula Sm. Lentibulariaceae 8
Vachellia tortilis (Forssk.) Galasso & Banfi Fabaceae 8
Valantia hispida L. Rubiaceae 8
Withania riebeckii Schweinf. ex Balf.f. Solanaceae 8
Ziziphus spina-christi (L.) Desf. Rhamnaceae 8
Zygophyllum album L.f. Zygophyllaceae 8
Zygophyllum decumbens Delile Zygophyllaceae 8
Zygophyllum qatarense Hadidi Zygophyllaceae 8
Zygophyllum simplex L. Zygophyllaceae 8
Camptoloma lyperiiflorum (Vatke) Hilliard Scrophulariaceae 7
Campylanthus spinosus Balf.f. Plantaginaceae 7
Coelocarpum haggierense A.G.Mill. Verbenaceae 7
Hypericum balfourii N.Robson Hypericaceae 7
Micromeria imbricata (Forssk.) C.Chr. Lamiaceae 7
Talinum portulacifolium (Forssk.) Asch. ex Schweinf. Talinaceae 7
Teucrium socotranum Vierh. Lamiaceae 7
Thalassodendron ciliatum (Forssk.) Hartog Cymodoceaceae 7
Abutilon pannosum (G.Forst.) Schltdl. Malvaceae 6
Convolvulus sarmentosus Balf.f. Convolvulaceae 6
Corchorus erodioides Balf.f. Malvaceae 6
Cyperus amabilis Vahl Cyperaceae 6
Dicliptera effusa Balf.f. Acanthaceae 6
Dirichletia virgata (Balf.f.) Kårehed & B.Bremer Rubiaceae 6
Euphorbia spiralis Balf.f. Euphorbiaceae 6
Juncus socotranus (Buchenau) Snogerup Juncaceae 6
Leucas virgata Balf.f. Lamiaceae 6
Lindenbergia sokotrana Vierh. Orobanchaceae 6
Melhania incana B.Heyne ex Wight & Arn. Malvaceae 6
Microchloa kunthii Desv. Poaceae 6
Oldenlandia balfourii Bremek. Rubiaceae 6
Paspalum scrobiculatum L. Poaceae 6
Spergularia flaccida (Madden) I.M.Turner Caryophyllaceae 6
Wahlenbergia lobelioides (L.f.) Link Campanulaceae 6
Adiantum balfourii Baker Pteridaceae 5
Cressa cretica L. Convolvulaceae 5
Cuscuta chinensis Lam. Convolvulaceae 5
Dirichletia obovata Balf.f. Rubiaceae 5
Farsetia longisiliqua Decne. Brassicaceae 5
Fuirena ciliaris (L.) Roxb. Cyperaceae 5
Halodule uninervis (Forssk.) Boiss. Cymodoceaceae 5
Heliotropium dentatum Balf.f. Heliotropiaceae 5
Melanocenchris jacquemontii Jaub. & Spach Poaceae 5
Oldenlandia pulvinata (Balf.f.) Vierh. Rubiaceae 5
Paramollugo nudicaulis (Lam.) Thulin Molluginaceae 5
Searsia thyrsiflora (Balf.f.) Moffett Anacardiaceae 5
Trichocalyx orbiculatus Balf.f. Acanthaceae 5
Bidens biternata (Lour.) Merr. & Sherff Asteraceae 4
Boerhavia helenae Schult. Nyctaginaceae 4
Bothriochloa insculpta (Hochst. ex A.Rich.) A.Camus Poaceae 4
Cebatha pendula (J.R.Forst. & G.Forst.) Kuntze Menispermaceae 4
Cenchrus orientalis (Rich.) Morrone Poaceae 4
Digera muricata (L.) Mart. Amaranthaceae 4
Euphorbia kischenensis Vierh. Euphorbiaceae 4
Farsetia stylosa R.Br. Brassicaceae 4
Indigofera coerulea Roxb. Fabaceae 4
Limonium paulayanum (Vierh.) Ghaz. & J.R.Edm. Plumbaginaceae 4
Orobanche cernua Loefl. Orobanchaceae 4
Plantago amplexicaulis Cav. Plantaginaceae 4
Sida ovata Forssk. Malvaceae 4
Zygophyllum bruguieri (DC.) Christenh. & Byng Zygophyllaceae 4
Zygophyllum paulayanum (J.Wagner & Vierh.) Christenh. & Byng Zygophyllaceae 4
Aristida funiculata Trin. & Rupr. Poaceae 3
Cadaba farinosa Forssk. Capparaceae 3
Cleome droserifolia (Forssk.) Delile Cleomaceae 3
Convolvulus glomeratus Choisy Convolvulaceae 3
Croton socotranus Balf.f. Euphorbiaceae 3
Endostemon tenuiflorus (Benth.) M.R.Ashby Lamiaceae 3
Ephedra ciliata Fisch. & C.A.Mey. Ephedraceae 3
Indigofera oblongifolia Forssk. Fabaceae 3
Launaea rhynchocarpa (Balf.f.) Mies Asteraceae 3
Leucas neuflizeana Courbon Lamiaceae 3
Nephrolepis undulata (Afzel. ex Sw.) J.Sm. Nephrolepidaceae 3
Ophioglossum reticulatum L. Ophioglossaceae 3
Sporobolus spicatus (Vahl) Kunth Poaceae 3
Suaeda monoica Forssk. ex J.F.Gmel. Chenopodiaceae 3
Urochloa ramosa (L.) T.Q.Nguyen Poaceae 3

What this page does not tell you

Kew records 418 more species as native to Socotra that we do not document. They are real, accepted plants. They have no page here because we could not find three photographs of them licensed for commercial use, and this site publishes no species it cannot show you. That gap is the honest measure of what we are missing, and it is why we print both numbers rather than the flattering one.

This is a checklist of what is native, not a guide to what will grow in your garden, and it carries no care advice and no toxicity claim, because we do not have those from a source we can cite.

Sourcesevery claim on this page

  1. Kew, World Checklist of Vascular Plants (WCVP v16). Native distribution by TDWG level-3 botanical country (SOC). Introduced, extinct and doubtful records excluded. CC BY 3.0. Retrieved 2026-06-04.
  2. World Flora Online Plant List. Accepted names, authorities, classification. CC0. Retrieved 2026-07-12.
  3. iNaturalist. Photographs, restricted to CC0 / CC BY / CC BY-SA. Retrieved 2026-06-27.