DESCRIPTION

Marram grass or European beachgrass is a gramineous plant with perennial underground organs, which lives more than two years and sprouts every spring. It has strong rhizomes, which spread along the sandy soil. Groups of stiff strong sharp leaves, which are rolled-up at the top like reeds, grow on the rhizomes. They are up to one metre tall. The stalk with flowers grows from the centre of the bunch of leaves. Stems bear a white-yellowish dense cylindrical spike.

DISTRIBUTION AND HABITAT

This species’ typical habitat are meadows and thicket on sandy beaches and dunes (moving dunes), very dry and salty soils which stretch from the sea level up to the altitude of 50 m.

HOW THEY LIVE

Considering the rough conditions in which these plants live, they can adapt to long periods of draught, strong winds and high levels of salinity. The plants that live on the dunes and sand are perfectly adapted to this environment and can colonize moving substrata, as well as those that easily filter water. The most common way of these plants’ reproduction is vegetative by rhizomes, which grow underground and spread over wide sandy areas. The marram grass blossoms in April and June.

WHERE THEY CAN BE SEEN IN MÁLAGA

This plant distributes in Atlantic region. However, it can be found on the beaches of the Province of Málaga and remaining dunes in the western part of the county (Marbella).

INTERESTING FACTS

This species helps to keep the ground steady, which allows other species to grow. They create a kind of border or dam which stops the send from moving and they the most adapted of all plants to moving dunes.
Considering their appearance, which is similar to reed, and thanks to their elasticity, they can stand strong wind without being broken.
The specie’s name ‘Ammophila’ comes from Greek and means: ‘love for sand’.

SIMILAR SPECIES

This species lives in a very atypical habitat, which is why it cannot be confused with other species, although someone can confuse it with esparto grass when it has no flowers