Horsetails 



closely not only in height but in their whorled 

 branches. The latter, of course, are topped by the short, 

 blunt cones with dark coloured scales. Both are rough 

 on the surface, and show from six to twelve rather 

 prominent ridges, with the intervening furrows deeper 

 than in most other species. The stem sheaths have 

 fine pale teeth, with brownish or blackish tips and thin 

 margins. The branches of the various whorls, which 

 are equal in number to the furrows on the stem, are 

 simple, and all have a tendency to turn upwards. 

 Sometimes cones may appear at the extremities of the 

 branches. 



Palustre, the specific name meaning " belonging to the 

 marshes," points to the places where this horsetail grows. 



The Smooth Naked Horsetail, Equisetum limosum, 

 may justly claim recognition from us on the ground 

 of beauty alone. The almost perfectly smooth stems 

 are faintly marked by from ten to thirty very slight 

 ridges appearing to the eye only as faint lines. To 

 this delicate marking against the light green of the 

 stems the plant owes its attractiveness. Both barren 

 and fertile stems are much alike, the only distinction 

 being that the latter bear the short, blunt, oblong cones 

 with black scales. As a general rule the stems 

 are naked, but occasionally they show a i tendency to 

 bear whorls of branches. These branches when present 

 are very imperfect. The stem sheaths, with their short, 

 stiff, and distinct teeth, are short and pressed close to 

 the stem. 



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