Ammophila arenaria Marram

Ammophila arenaria, Marram Grass, is a ubiquitous species of coastal sand dunes in Britain and Ireland. It is a xeromorphic, rhizomatous perennial that is primarily responsible for the dune building process on sand dunes and is the dominant species in partially fixed grasslands there. Its extensive, underground rhizome system, which forms a complex network deep in the sand, plays a crucial role in dune stabilisation and its ability to grow up through sand after burial is essential for sand accretion and the dune building process. It is common in all the coastal sand dunes of West Glamorgan where it is the main architect of the yellow and grey dunes. It bears a superficial resemblance to Elytrigia juncea ssp. boreoatlantica (Sand Couch) and Leymus arenarius (Lyme-grass), which are also grasses found on sand dunes, but the inflorescenece of Marram Grass is quite different and the way the leaves roll up when dry is distinctive.