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Ammophila arenaria

Kingdom : Plantae / النّباتات

Division : Spermaphyta / البذريات

Clade : Magnoliophyta or Angiospermae / مستورات البذور

Class : Monocotyledoneae / أحاديات الفلقة

Order : Poales / رتبة القبئيات

Family : Poaceae [Gramineae] / الفصيلة النجيليّة أوالقبئيّة أوالكلئيّة

Genus : Ammophila

species : arenaria

Chromosomes: 2n=28

Photos: Merchaoui Henda © DR

Protologue

  • (L.) Link, Hort. Berol. 1: 105 (1827)
  • Synonyms

  • Psamma arenaria, Ammophila arenaria (L.) Link, Hort. Berol. 1: 105 (1827) subsp. australis (Mabille) Lainz, Commun. INIA, Ser. Recorsos Nat. 2: 22 (1974).
  • Ammophila arenaria var. arundinacea Husnot, Gram. Fl. Belg. 19 (1896).
  • Common names

    Tunisia Arabic English French Tamazight

    قزمير

    قصب الرمال

    Marram grass
    Sea reed
    Beach grass
    European beachgrass
    European marram grass

    Oyat
    Roseau des sables
    Gourbet
    Jonc des dunes
    Ammophile des sables
    Orge des sables

    Toxic

  • no
  • Edible

  • yes
  • Latex

  • no
  • Botanic description

    Genus description

    "Perennial, rohust plant with creeping squamous rhizomes, involute long leaves. Panicle dense, spiciform, Spikelets 1-flores, laterally compressed, with racheus disarticulating above the glumes and forming a calyx, hairy at the apex, below the lemma. Subequal glumes, the lower 1-nerved, the upper 3-nerved. Lemma a little shorter than the glumes, papery, 5-nerved; subgal palleole. Racheole extended beyond the flower into a villous rod. caryopsis subcylindrical, free, laterally compressed, crisscrossed.

    Species description

    "

    A herbaceous plant very characteristic of dune environments, whitish-green with a stump and long rhizomes.The oyat is very tolerant to sand mobility and can withstand being buried up to 1 m deep.

    Stems straight stubble erect from 0.50 to 1 m.
    Leaves glabrous, slightly striated, smooth, tightly curled.
    Flowers florets grouped in spikelets.
    Inflorescence fairly dense panicle, long pedunculated, spiciform, whitish to yellowish green, cylindrical fusiform, up to 30 cm.
    Fruits caryopsis yellow-brown, oblong, little compressed laterally, deeply canaliculate on the ventral surface.
    Seeds rounded on the back, a little dilated, the lower nested, all ± striated.

    Botanic References

  • Réné MAIRE (1953). Encyclopédie biologique de la flore de l'Afrique du Nord. Monocotyledonae vol II, 157-158p.
  • Edouard LE FLOC’H, Loutfy BOULOS et Errol VELA. (2010). Catalogue synonymique commenté de la FLORE DE TUNISIE. République Tunisienne, Ministère de l’Environnement et du développement durable, Banque Nationale de Gènes. 500 p
  • www.theplantlist.org
  • http://botarela.fr/Poaceae/Taxons/Ammophila-arenaria.html
  • Biology

    Life form Perennial
    Type form hemicryptophyte
    Photosynthesis C4

    Phenology

    Blooming
    JanuaryFebruaryMarchAprilMayJuneJulyAugustSeptemberOctoberNovemberDecember
    Fruiting
    JanuaryFebruaryMarchAprilMayJuneJulyAugustSeptemberOctoberNovemberDecember

    Map Localization

    Ecology

    Adaptation Thermophilic marine species. One of the most valuable plants for fixing dunes, allowing to fix the sand.
    Salt bladder no
    Invasive no

    Geographical distribution

    Localization Biocimatic stage Annuel pluviometry (mm) GPS
    Monastir (Skanès, Déc. 2013 , Mai 2014, Juillet 2016)Inferior semi-arid33135°46'43.24"N / 10°47'33.01"E
    Cap Bon (Korba, Mars 2014)Superior semi-arid44436°34'52.74"N / 10°52'19.99"E
    Cap Bon (Menzel Temim, Fév.2016)Superior semi-arid44436°46' 0.47"N / 11° 0'18.73"E

    General uses

  • In the past, the stems and leaves were used to make thatch roofs. The seeds turned to flour during famine.
  • Medicinal uses

  • "

  • NOTE : This website is not that of herbal medicine and assumes no responsibility for the negative effects of the use of plants. Seek advice from a professional before using a medicinal plant.

    Systems / Organs / Effects

    Dispersion mode

    • Anemochory (wind)

    Germination

    Duration

    Image

    Description of the seeds

    Form straight
    External structure trichomes
    Ornamentation any
    Type of seed albumen
    Average length of 10 seeds 8 ± 0,1 (mm)
    Average width of 10 seeds 1 ± 0,1 (mm)
    Average thickness of 10 seeds 1 ± 0,1 (mm)
    Average mass of 100 seeds (g)

    Test results

    TPC DPPH ABTS+ FRAP Year
    mg GAE g-1 MS CI50 g ml-1 CI50 g ml-1 CE50 g ml-1
    6,02± 0,6676,52± 10,92135,89± 1,42742,22± 3,852016
    Total Phenols content(TPC), Anti-radical potentialities against (DPPH, ABTS), Ferric reducing antioxidant power(FRAP)

    Molecules : ADN / Proteins

    Chromosomes : 28 Uniprot NCBI

    Chemical composition

    Name
    Phenolic compounds Polyphenols

    Tunisian references

  • Other references

  • Couplan F & Styner E (1994) : Guide des plantes sauvages comestibles et toxiques. Guides du naturaliste. Delachaux et Niestlé, Neuchâtel (CH)
  • Dixon P, Hilton M, Bannister P. (2004). Desmoschoenus spiralis displacement by Ammophila arenaria: the role of drought. New Zealand Journal of Ecology, 28(2), 207-213.
  • Hilton MJ (2006). The loss of New Zealand’s active dunes and the spread of marram grass (Ammophila arenaria). New Zealand Geographer, 62, 105–120.
  • Hilton MJ, Duncan M, Jul A. (2005). Processes of Ammophila arenaria (marram grass) invasion and indigenous species displacement, Stewart Island, New Zealand. Journal of Coastal Research, 21(1), 175-185.
  • Moore P and Davis A. (2004). Marram grass Ammophila arenaria removal and dune restoration to enhance nesting habitat of Chatham Island oystercatcher Haematopus chathamensis, Chatham Islands, New Zealand. Conservation Evidence, 1, 8-9.
  • Pickart AJ (1997). Control of European Beachgrass (Ammophila arenaria ) on the West Coast of the United States. California Exotic Pest Plant Council, The Nature Conservancy Lanphere-Christensen Dunes Preserve Arcata, CA 95521.
  • http://www.imapinvasives.org/GIST/ESA/esapages/documnts/ammoare.pdf (Mai 2017)
  • http://botarela.fr/Poaceae/Taxons/Ammophila-arenaria.html (Août 2017)
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