Equisetum arvense
Field Horsetail

Family: Equisetaceae (Horsetail family)

Photo taken at Tumwater Canyon; in small moist spring

Fertile Stems:

permanently whitish or brownish, unbranched, ephemeral, 11-32 cm by more or less 8 mm, sheaths 14-20 mm with large partly connate teeth, cone 0.5-3.5 cm

Sterile Stems:

sterile stems greenish, branched in regular whorls, 10-12 ridged, 10-60 cm by 1.5-5 mm, sheaths 3-10 mm, teeth dark

Plant:

perennial, arial stems annual; rhizomatous; can become weedy. Traditionally the stems were used to polish bone tools and soapstone by the Okanagan-Coville.

Habitat:

moist to moderately dry places

Distribution of species:

North America, Europe and Asia

Distribution of genus:

15 species: Worldwide except Australia and New Zealand