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Marram grass is a species of grass growing almost exclusively on sand dunes, where rhizomes on its extensive root system allow it to add nitrates to a very arid and wind swept ecosystem.
Marram has adapted to the harsh conditions of the Main Ridge sand dunes by having leaves which can fold to reduce surface area, are shiny and can be aligned to wind direction in order to reduce transpiration rates. Its extensive roots system allows it to tap into deep Ground water stores below the dunes, and have small rhizomes which produce necessary nitrates for the plants growth support. The root network also assists in the process of stabilizing a dune.
There are three main species of marram grass:
North American Species: Found in Eastern coastal regions in prevailing wind directions (Rhodes Island ) Ammophila breviligulata
European Species: Found in the lower slopes of Mountain Regions bordering coasts (Magilligan, Co. Derry, N. Ireland) Ammophila arenaria
Hybrid Cross-Bred Species: a hybrid between Ammophila arenaria and Calamagrostis epigeios.
