Equisetum arvense

Linnaeus

Sp. Pl. 2: 1061. 1753.

Common names: Field horsetail common horsetail prêle des champs
Illustrated
Treatment appears in FNA Volume 2.

Aerial stems dimorphic; vegetative stems green, branched, 2–60 (–100) cm; hollow center 1/3–2/3 stem diam. Sheaths squarish in face view, 2–5 (–10) × 2–5 (–9) mm; teeth dark, 4–14, narrow, 1–3.5 mm, often cohering in pairs. Branches in regular whorls, ascending, solid; ridges 3–4; valleys channeled; 1st internode of each branch longer than subtending stem sheath; sheath teeth attenuate. Fertile stems brown, lacking stomates, unbranched, shorter than vegetative stems, with larger sheaths, fleshy, ephemeral. 2n =ca. 216.


Phenology: Cones maturing in early spring.
Habitat: Roadsides, riverbanks, fields, marshes, pastures, tundra
Elevation: 0–3200 m

Distribution

V2 772-distribution-map.gif

Greenland, St. Pierre and Miquelon, Alta., B.C., Man., N.B., Nfld. and Labr. (Nfld.), N.W.T., N.S., Ont., P.E.I., Que., Sask., Yukon, Ala., Alaska, Ariz., Ark., Calif., Colo., Conn., Del., D.C., Ga., Idaho, Ill., Ind., Iowa, Kans., Ky., Maine, Md., Mass., Mich., Minn., Mo., Mont., Nebr., Nev., N.H., N.J., N.Mex., N.Y., N.C., N.Dak., Ohio, Okla., Oreg., Pa., R.I., S.Dak., Tenn., Tex., Utah, Vt., Va., Wash., W.Va., Wis., Wyo, Eurasia s to Himalayas, c China, Korea, Japan

Discussion

Among the many infraspecific taxa that have been named in this species, Equisetum arvense var. boreale Bongard has been most generally accepted and has been applied to plants with tall, erect stems with 3-ridged branches. Because both 3-ridged and 4-ridged branches may occur on a single stem, the variety boreale is not recognized here as distinct (R.L. Hauke 1966).

Selected References

None.

Lower Taxa

None.
... more about "Equisetum arvense"
Richard L. Hauke +
Linnaeus +
Undefined subg. Hippochaete +
few +  and lacking +
Field horsetail +, common horsetail +  and prêle des champs +
pointed +
0.3 cm3 mm <br />0.003 m <br /> (10 cm100 mm <br />0.1 m <br />) +
Greenland +, St. Pierre and Miquelon +, Alta. +, B.C. +, Man. +, N.B. +, Nfld. and Labr. (Nfld.) +, N.W.T. +, N.S. +, Ont. +, P.E.I. +, Que. +, Sask. +, Yukon +, Ala. +, Alaska +, Ariz. +, Ark. +, Calif. +, Colo. +, Conn. +, Del. +, D.C. +, Ga. +, Idaho +, Ill. +, Ind. +, Iowa +, Kans. +, Ky. +, Maine +, Md. +, Mass. +, Mich. +, Minn. +, Mo. +, Mont. +, Nebr. +, Nev. +, N.H. +, N.J. +, N.Mex. +, N.Y. +, N.C. +, N.Dak. +, Ohio +, Okla. +, Oreg. +, Pa. +, R.I. +, S.Dak. +, Tenn. +, Tex. +, Utah +, Vt. +, Va. +, Wash. +, W.Va. +, Wis. +, Wyo +, Eurasia s to Himalayas +, c China +, Korea +  and Japan +
0–3200 m +
male +  and unisexual +
smaller than female +
Roadsides, riverbanks, fields, marshes, pastures, tundra +
distinct +
Cones maturing in early spring. +
3 +  and 4 +
0.5 cm5 mm <br />0.005 m <br /> (1 cm10 mm <br />0.01 m <br />) +
0.5 cm5 mm <br />0.005 m <br /> (0.9 cm9 mm <br />0.009 m <br />) +
squarish +
Illustrated +
60 cm600 mm <br />0.6 m <br /> (100 cm1,000 mm <br />1 m <br />) +
brown +  and green +
persisting +
vegetative +  and fertile +
2 cm20 mm <br />0.02 m <br /> (60 cm600 mm <br />0.6 m <br />) +
Equisetum arvense +
Equisetum subg. Hippochaete +
species +
toothlike +
0.1 cm1 mm <br />0.001 m <br /> (0.35 cm3.5 mm <br />0.0035 m <br />) +
channeled +