Distribution of Sharon goat grass (Aegilops sharonensis Eig) in Israel

Sharon goat grass (Aegilops sharonensis Eig) is endemic to the Coastal Plain of Israel and south Lebanon where it grows exclusively on sandy soils. Plants of this species were reported in many locations, but most of these reports are old and many of these locations have undergone urban and agricultural development in recent decades. This study is aimed at determining the current area and mode of distribution of this species. In a systematic survey of the Coastal Plain in Israel, we have located 42 disjunct populations in the area between Acre in the north and Gaza in the south. Physical and ecological data of the populations were recorded. The possibility of diminishing genetic diversity of this species due to extinction of populations is discussed.