Horsetail
Equisetum laevigatum A.Braun
Equisetum laevigatum, also known as smooth horsetail or smooth scouring rush, is a species in the Equisetaceae family. It is native to much of North America, excluding northern Canada and southern Mexico. This plant typically grows in moist, sandy, or gravelly areas and can be either annual or perennial. It features narrow green stems that can exceed 1.5 meters in height, with small, scale-like brownish leaf sheaths at the nodes. Occasionally, it has small, spindly branches and is topped with rounded, cone-shaped sporangia.
Description
Equisetum laevigatum is found in regions such as Alberta, British Columbia, Manitoba, Ontario, Quebec, Saskatchewan, Vermont-US, Arizona, Arkansas, California, Colorado, Connecticut, Idaho, Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Kansas, Kentucky, and parts of Mexico. It was first described in 1844 by A. Braun. The plant's stems are smooth and can grow up to 1.5 meters tall, with nodes bearing small, scale-like brown sheaths. The plant may have small, spindly branches and is characterized by its rounded, cone-shaped sporangia at the stem tips. It thrives in moist environments with sandy or gravelly substrates.
Other common names
HorsetailSmooth HorsetailSmooth Scouring-RushSmooth ScouringrushSummer HorsetailSummer Scouring-Rush
Distribution
Alberta · British Columbia · Manitoba · Ontario · Quebec · Saskatchewan · Vermont-US · Arizona · Arkansas · California · Colorado · Connecticut · Idaho · Illinois · Indiana · Iowa · Kansas · Kentucky · Mexico Central · Mexico Northeast · Mexico Northwest · Mexico Southeast · Mexico Southwest · Michigan · Minnesota · Missouri · Montana · Nebraska · Nevada · New Mexico
Synonyms
Equisetum laevigatum var. scabrellumEquisetum kansanumEquisetum funstoniiHippochaete laevigataEquisetum fontinaleEquisetum laevigatum f. scabrellumEquisetum funstonii f. caespitosumEquisetum funstonii f. nudumEquisetum funstonii f. polystachyumEquisetum funstonii f. ramosumEquisetum kansanum f. caespiticumEquisetum kansanum f. caespitosumEquisetum kansanum f. polystachyumEquisetum kansanum f. ramosumEquisetum kansanum f. variegatoidesEquisetum laevigatum f. caespitosumEquisetum laevigatum f. polystachumEquisetum laevigatum f. ramosumEquisetum laevigatum f. variegatoidesEquisetum laevigatum subsp. funstoniiHippochaete laevigata var. variegatoidesHippochaete laevigata var. caespiticaHippochaete laevigata var. caespitosaHippochaete laevigata var. polystachyaHippochaete laevigata var. ramosaEquisetum praealtum var. laevigatumEquisetum funstonii var. caespitosumEquisetum funstonii var. nudumEquisetum funstonii var. ramosumHippochaete laevigata var. funstonii
