The Wood Horsetail Plant

The Wood Horsetail (Equisetum sylvaticum) is a plant belonging to the Horsetail Family. The plant is native to North America, Eurasia and Asia and especially in the Netherlands in the mid-and southeast.

The plant is 15-75 cm tall and produces rhizomes. At the root tubers are usually formed. The hollow stem has 3 to 5 mm thick and dense whorls of hooked, unbranched green branches. The cavity is about half the diameter of the stem. Later in the year to be 1 to 2 times branched, green branches are formed. On the stem are 10 to 18 ribs with silica nodules, which provide for the strengthening of the stem. The leaves are in whorls. The leaf sheaths are largely fused to a stalk sheath. Stengelscheden the teeth and upwards bright reddish brown.

In April and May appear leaf-less stems with track spikes on top. During the maturation creates green side branches, and the stem itself green. The spikes are 15 to 25 mm long and when ripe, dry them and then fall off. As the plants grow strong shadows are usually not formed ears. The spike is conical and consists of hexagonal scales on the inside where the sporangium the spores are located.

The tracks have chlorophyll and two jump wires, elateren called in the dry state to the spore are wrapped when they get wet they stretch and push the spores out of the ear. There are two types of tracks, male and female. The spores develop into leaf buds or on account prothallia. At this stage takes place after fertilization the ponytail into a complete plant can grow. The prothallia bound to a very open habitat.

The plant is found on wet, relatively acidic soil in hedgerows, deciduous woodlands and ditches.


In other languages:

• German: Wald-Schachtelhalm

• English: Wood Horsetail

• French: bois des Prêle




Source: http://nl.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bospaardenstaart


See also: International Flower Delivery, Florist