Physiognomy and Structure: Shrub- or perennial herbaceous-dominated, generally <2 m in height, on sandy soils near the coast.

Floristics: These dunes are dominated by non-native beachgrasses Ammophila arenaria and Ammophila breviligulata, restoration areas of planted Leymus mollis ssp. mollis (the native dunegrass), or introduced shrubs such as Carpobrotus spp., Mesembryanthemum spp., and Lupinus arboreus (in Canada only). Often they can be a mosaic of patches of shrubs and grasses. Other non-natives present include Bromus diandrus, Cirsium vulgare, Cytisus scoparius, Poa pratensis, Rumex acetosa, and/or Teesdalia nudicaulis. Native herbaceous species that may be present but with very low abundance include Abronia latifolia, Cakile spp., Galium aparine, Lathyrus littoralis, Poa macrantha, and Pteridium aquilinum. Sparsely scattered native shrubs and trees may also occur, particularly near the landward edge, including Arctostaphylos columbiana, Arctostaphylos uva-ursi, Gaultheria shallon, Ledum glandulosum, Lonicera involucrata, Pinus contorta, Rosa nutkana, Rubus ursinus, and Salix hookeriana. These areas can be dense shrublands totally composed of one species or they can be more open mosaics of grassland and shrubland.

Dynamics:  Ammophila arenaria is native to Europe and was introduced to stabilize dunes in the 1880s. It rapidly naturalized and became dominant over much of the northern Pacific coast. Dense stands of Ammophila created steep foredunes, a landform which was rare in the region prior to 1930 (Weidemann 1966). Native foredune and strand communities are threatened by expansion of this vegetation (Barbour and Major 1977). This ruderal type is found in areas that have experienced recent soil disturbance, i.e., sandy soils that have been exposed to physical disturbances such as grazing (Rocchio et al. 2012). Restoration projects that have planted the West Coast native dunegrass Leymus mollis ssp. mollis will remain in this group until they successfully mature into a recognizable native plant association.

Cytisus scoparius is native to Spain and is found in waste places throughout the Pacific Northwest and in California in areas below 1000 m in elevation. This group specifically refers to stands on sand dunes along the immediate coast. Other environments where Cytisus spp. stands are found belong to another ruderal group, ~Southern Vancouverian Lowland Ruderal Grassland & Shrubland Group (G648)$$.