Ammophila Host.

Greek ammos – sand and philos-loving.

Rhizomatous perennial. Leaves mostly basal, blade rolled in bud, narrow, linear and sharp pointed. Inflorescence paniculate and spike-like. Spikelets 9-15 mm long, flattened laterally, disarticulating above the glumes, rachilla prolonged beyond the uppermost female-fertile floret. Glumes two, more or less equal, pointed, awnless, lower glume 1-nerved, upper glume 1-3 nerved. Lemma hairless, 3 or 5 nerved. Palea apically notched, awnless, several nerved (often 4-nerved), keel-less. Stamens 3.

Seed and rhizomes.

A species of open habitats primarily used in sand-binding and dune stabilisation projects. A. arenaria is widely used in sand stabilisation.

Extensively rhizomatous; inflorescence spike-like; stamens 3 with free filaments; palea several-nerved (often 4-nerved); rachilla extending beyond the uppermost female-fertile flower.

3 species; mostly cool to cold Northern Hemisphere, but extending into similar regions in the Southern Hemisphere.

Source: Spencer, R.; Aldous, D.; Stajsic, V.; McGeary, D (2005). Poaceae. In: Spencer, R.. Horticultural Flora of South-eastern Australia. Volume 5. Flowering plants. Monocotyledons. The identification of garden and cultivated plants. University of New South Wales Press.

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kingdom Plantae
phylum   Tracheophyta
class    Magnoliopsida
superorder     Lilianae
order      Poales
family       Poaceae
Higher taxa
Subordinate taxa
species         Ammophila arenaria (L.) Link