Species
Only two species seem incontrovertible: A. arenaria and A. breviligulata. Two other species have been proposed, and are discussed below.
- A. arenaria - European Marram Grass or European Beachgrass. Native to coasts of Europe (north to Iceland) and northwest Africa. Inflorescence to 25 cm long; broad.
- A. baltica has now been identified as a natural hybrid, × Ammocalamagrostis baltica, between Ammophila arenaria and Calamagrostis epigeios. The hybrid occurs in parts of northern Europe, mainly from the Baltic Sea west to eastern England.
- A. breviligulata - American Marram Grass or American Beachgrass. Native to coasts of eastern North America, including the shores of the Great Lakes. Inflorescence to 30 cm long; narrower than A. arenaria.
- A. champlainensis or A. breviligulata ssp. champlainensis - Champlain Beachgrass. Native to shores of Lake Ontario and Lake Champlain. Inflorescence to 22 cm long; very similar to A. breviligulata, and no longer considered a distinct species by several authorities.
Read more about this topic: Ammophila (Poaceae)
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