2024 Edition • Get the App • Cite this Page
X

Colors

Data mode

Account

Login
Sign up

Collapse this

Support the Flora of the Southeastern US

2024 has been a banner year for making the best flora we can imagine. We've created:
With financial support from people like you, we are aiming even higher in 2025. Together we can accomplish all this: Vote on our 2025 priorities
  • Add Global Conservation Ranks (GRanks) vote
  • Professional graphic keys (polyclaves) to individual families/genera vote
  • 2 new FloraQuest apps: Florida & Mid-South vote
  • Image overlays highlighting diagnostic characters with arrows vote
  • iNaturalist integration in FloraQuest vote
Write-in vote: vote
We've set a goal of recruiting 200 ongoing supporters to donate $15 or more each month in 2025. Please help us reach this goal and make next year's flora even better:
Donate $15 per month
(0.2¢/heliophily index)
Donate $30 per month
(0.4¢/heliophily index)
Donate $50 per month
(amazing!)
Donate another
or one-time amount
Copy permalink to share

Equisetum Linnaeus. Horsetail, Scouring Rush.

Key to Equisetum

A genus of 15-20 species, nearly cosmopolitan in distribution. This treatment follows Christenhusz et al. (2019) in recognizing 3 subgenera, the monotypic subgenus Paramochaete Chistenhusz & Husby (of n. South America), basal to the two main subgenera (and the ones in our flora -- see key): subgenus Equisetum and subgenus Hippochaete (Milde) Baker.

ID notes: Equisetum has a unique and nearly unmistakable appearance, with green, hollow, upright shoots, with regular joints, and at each joint junction (node) a sheath of whorled, tiny leaves. Some species also have a whorl of side branches associated with each node.

Ref: Christenhusz et al. (2019); Des Marais et al. (2003); Elgorriaga et al. (2018); Guillon (2004); Hauke (1993) In Flora of North America Editorial Committee (1993b); Hauke In Kramer & Green (1990); Lellinger (1985); Mickel (1979); Sheik & Weeks (2023); Zhang & Turland in FoC (2013). Show full citations.

Show in key(s)

Show parent family

Show species in Equisetum

Your browser does not support SVGs

Hover over a shape, letter, icon, or arrow on the map for definition or see the legend. Data for arrows not developed for genera and families which may have species only occurring outside the flora area.

image of plant© Erik Danielson | Equisetum sylvaticum source | Original Image ⭷
image of plant© Gary P. Fleming | Equisetum fluviatile | Original Image ⭷
image of plant© Gary P. Fleming | Equisetum fluviatile | Original Image ⭷
image of plant© Erik Danielson | Equisetum variegatum source | Original Image ⭷
image of plant© Gary P. Fleming | Equisetum arvense | Original Image ⭷

Feedback

See something wrong or missing on about Equisetum? Let us know here: (Please include your name and email if at all complicated so we can clarify if needed.) We greatly appreciate feedback, and will include updates from you in our next webapp update, which can take a few months.