~ Dunas de S. Jacinto Nature Reserve

"This Nature Reserve is situated in the south of a sand dune system that goes from the city of Ovar to S. Jacinto, between Ria de Aveiro and the Atlantic Sea on Portugal’s west coast. (...) In the primary dunes one can see environment-specific spontaneous flora species, such as European beach grass Ammophila arenaria, sea holly Eryngium maritimum and sea daffo dil Pancratium maritimum, as well as other dune species. Between the primary and secondary dunes grows Corema album, the most abundant bush in this area. The secondary dunes, which go all the way to the Ria, are covered by species with Mediterranean influence like Phoenician juniper Juniperus phoenicea, strawberry tree Arbutus unedo, maritime pine Pinus pinaster, stone pine Pinus pinea, cork oak Quercus suber, species from Atlantic woodlands such as Myrica faya, common oak Quercus robur and, in the lower and wetter areas, black poplars Populus nigra, willows Salix spp. and common alder Alnus glutinosa. In the ponds, the common reed Phragmites australis, bulrush Typha latifolia and Salix arenaria dominate." IN: www.icnf.pt/ICNPortal/vEN2007/O+ICNB/Areas+Protegidas/Res...