Ammophila
arenaria- Marram grass
 Common
names
Marram grass, matweed, bent
Gaelic names: muirineach (muir meaning ocean; ineach
meaning generosity); muran
Uses in Scotland
A common grass of sand dunes, marram has creeping roots
and has an important ecological function binding sand on the shore, thereby
reducing erosion. On Colonsay, marram was considered to be one of
the best and most durable thatching materials. It has been used for this
purpose in many other places in the Highland and Islands of Scotland (e.g.
on Tiree). In the past it was also used for the binding of oat-straw
baskets.
In his book of chilhood memories, Crowdie and Cream,
Finlay MacDonald recalls collecting mealtrach (marran grass roots),
for scrubbing floors. Marran grass was also used to make combs for separating
the weaver’s weft and beating the warp.
References
Darwin, T. (1996). The Scots Herbal. Mercat Press,
Edinburgh.
MacDonald, F.(1982). Crowdie and Cream. London, Macdonald.
Go back to sandy shores
Go back to useful plants of the Scottish
coast
|
