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meadow horsetail, prêle des prés, shady horsetail

marsh horsetail, prêle des marais

Sheaths

somewhat elongate, 3–5 × 2–4 mm;

teeth 8–18, narrow, 1.5–4 mm, centers dark and margins white.

elongate, 4–9 × 2–5 mm;

teeth dark, 5–10, narrow, 2–5 mm, margins white, scarious.

Aerial stems

dimorphic;

vegetative stems green, branched, 16–50 cm;

hollow center 1/6–1/3 stem diam.

monomorphic, green, branched or unbranched, 20–80 cm;

hollow center small, to 1/3 stem diam.;

vallecular canals nearly as large.

Fertile stems

brown, with stomates, initially unbranched, persisting and becoming branched and green after spore discharge.

Branches

in regular whorls, horizontal to drooping, solid;

ridges 3;

valleys channeled; 1st internode of each branch equal to or longer than subtending stem sheath;

sheath teeth deltate.

when present only from midstem nodes, spreading, hollow;

ridges 4–6;

valleys rounded; 1st internode of each branch shorter than subtending stem sheath;

sheath teeth narrow.

2n

=216.

Equisetum pratense

Equisetum palustre

Phenology Cones maturing in late spring. Cones maturing in summer.
Habitat Meadows, wet woodlands Marshes and swamps
Elevation 0–2000 m (0–6600 ft) 0–1500m (0–4900ft)
Distribution
from FNA
AK; CT; IA; IL; MA; ME; MI; MN; ND; NH; NY; VT; WI; AB; BC; MB; NB; NF; NS; NT; ON; PE; QC; SK; YT; n Eurasia to ne China; Japan in Hokkaido
[WildflowerSearch map]
[BONAP county map]
from FNA
AK; CA; ID; ME; MI; MN; MT; ND; NH; NY; OR; PA; VT; WA; WI; AB; BC; MB; NB; NF; NS; NT; ON; PE; QC; SK; YT; Eurasia s to Himalayas; n China; Korea; Japan
[WildflowerSearch map]
[BONAP county map]
Discussion

The name Equisetum palustre var. americanum has been used for specimens from the flora that have longer teeth than those from Eurasia.

(Discussion copyrighted by Flora of North America; reprinted with permission.)

Source FNA vol. 2. FNA vol. 2.
Parent taxa Equisetaceae > Equisetum > subg. Hippochaete Equisetaceae > Equisetum > subg. Hippochaete
Sibling taxa
E. arvense, E. fluviatile, E. hyemale, E. laevigatum, E. palustre, E. ramosissimum, E. scirpoides, E. sylvaticum, E. telmateia, E. variegatum, E. ×ferrissii, E. ×litorale, E. ×mackaii, E. ×nelsonii
E. arvense, E. fluviatile, E. hyemale, E. laevigatum, E. pratense, E. ramosissimum, E. scirpoides, E. sylvaticum, E. telmateia, E. variegatum, E. ×ferrissii, E. ×litorale, E. ×mackaii, E. ×nelsonii
Synonyms E. palustre var. americanum
Name authority Ehrhart: Hannover. Mag. 22: 138. (1784) Linnaeus: Sp. Pl. 2: 1061. (1753)
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