Horsetail family
Scientific name: Equisetaceae
Diagnostic features
The jointed ridged aerial stems without branches or with whorls of branches at each node, and with whorls of leaves forming a fused sheath at each node, are unmistakable. The cones are terminal either on the normal green vegetative stems or on special unbranched brownish or whitish stems produced earlier than the vegetative ones.
The common name Mare's-tail is often used but is a misapplication; true Mare's-tail is Hippuris (Family Hippuridaceae), whose whorled 'branches' at each node are actually leaves.
The species of the only Genus Equisetum in this Family are keyed out from Page 3: Equisetaceae, Equisetum of the Text Key. |
