THE HORSETAILS 119 



number of slight ridges. The barren and the 

 fertile stems are very similar, and in a favourable 

 situation they will grow to the height of two or 

 three feet. A curious feature of this plant is the 

 irregular way in which the branches appear. 

 Sometimes the stems are quite bare ; on 

 other occasions they are partly branched ; in 

 any case the branches are short. The sheaths 

 with many teeth are closely pressed to the stem. 

 The fertile stem is, of course, distinguished by 

 the cone which it bears at the summit. It is 

 said that cattle are not averse to eating the 

 Smooth Naked Horsetail, and certainly the 

 stems are not unpleasant to the touch. 



The Smooth Naked Horsetail is a common 

 plant, specially by the sides of streams and pools. 

 It sometimes grows right in the water. 



Equisetum variegatum. Here the specific 

 name means variegated, and has reference to 

 the fact that the sheaths enclosing the stem 

 are pale green below and blackish in colour 

 above. The Variegated Rough Horsetail. 



As a rule this plant grows by the seashore, 

 where, by means of its fibrous roots, it may play 

 a useful part in helping to bind the shifting sand. 

 The Variegated Horsetail is not exclusively 

 maritime, however, for it sometimes grows by 

 the sides of rivers and ponds. The barren and 

 fertile stems closely resemble one another, and 

 they are very nearly prostrate in habit. As a 

 rule they are about a foot in height, and the 

 stems have from four to ten ridges. The upper 

 part of the stem is usually unbranched, but 

 whorls of branches occur towards the base. 

 The sheaths, which, as already stated, are green 

 below and black above, fit very closely to the 

 stem. The black teeth have white margins, 

 and terminate in bristle-like points. The cones 



