Darkfield photomicrograph of European Marram Grass or European Beachgrass, Bent Grass, Ammophila arenaria
Ammophila (synonymous with Psamma P. Beauv.) is a genus consisting of two or three very similar species of grasses; common names for these grasses include Marram Grass, Bent Grass, and Beachgrass. These grasses are found almost exclusively on the first line of coastal sand dunes; their extensive systems of creeping underground stems or rhizomes allow them to thrive under conditions of shifting sands and high winds. Ammophila species are native to the coasts of the North Atlantic Ocean where they are usually the dominant species on sand dunes. Their native range includes few inland regions, with the Great Lakes of North America being the main exception. The Ammophila grasses are widely known as examples of xerophytes, which are plants that can withstand arid conditions such as deserts or sandy beaches. Its xerophytic adaptations (mentioned below) allow it to thrive under conditions most plants could not survive. Despite their occurrence on seacoasts, Ammophila grasses are not particularly tolerant of saline soils; they can tolerate a salinity of about 15 g/l (), which makes them "moderate halophytes". Ammophila builds coastal sand dunes and thus stabilizes the sand. For this reason, the plants have been introduced far from their native range. Alfred Wiedemann writes that, starting in the early 19th century, Ammophila arenaria "has been introduced into virtually every British colonial settlement within its latitudinal tolerance range, including southeast and southwest Australia, New Zealand, South Africa, the Falkland Islands, and Norfolk Island. It has been planted widely in Japan and has been reported from Argentina and Chile. Ammophila species were introduced in the late 19th century on the Pacific coast of North America as well, and massive, intentional plantings were continued at least through 1960.
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Photo credit: © Scenics & Science / Alamy / Afripics
License: Licensed
Model Released: No
Keywords: ammophila, arenaria, beachgrass, bent, coastline, darkfield, dunes, erosion, european, grass, marram, photomicrograph, sand, xerophytic
