Equisetaceae Family

Horsetail is a fascinating plant that you will often find growing along streams in the mountains and deserts of the Mountain West. The family consists of a single genus and 15 species.

Botanists believe the horsetail is a remnant of the type of plant that was common before the evolution of seeded and flowering plants. The plants have green photosynthetic stems and simple translucent filaments in lieue of leaves. Horsetail produces spores in cone-like structures at the tops of the stems.

Horsetails seem to like sandy soil near streams. Walking through a field of horsetail is an extremely enjoyable act. Unfortunately, much of the habitat of the Horsetail in the desert has been taken over by Tamarisk.

Context: Flowers

• Plants (8 pictures) Horsetail has its own division (Equisetophyta) in the plant kingdom.
• Flower Power (144 pictures) Horsetail predates flowering plants.