Equisetum fluviatile L.
swamp horsetail (water horsetail)
Equisetaceae (Horsetail family)
Introduction to Vascular Plants
swamp horsetail (water horsetail)
Equisetaceae (Horsetail family)
Introduction to Vascular Plants
Species Information
General:
Perennial from a smooth, shiny, often reddish rhizome.
Stems:
30-150 cm tall, 2-10 mm thick, their central cavity more than 4/5 the stem diameter, simple or with a few whorled branches, the sheaths with 12-30 narrow, dark pointed teeth.
Cones:
1-2 cm long, rounded on the top.
Notes:
A hybrid with E. arvense (E. x litorale Kuehl ex Rupr.) is frequent in places where both species occur.
Illustration
If more than one illustration is available for a species (e.g., separate illustrations were provided for two subspecies) then links to the separate images will be provided below. Note that individual subspecies or varietal illustrations are not always available.
Illustration Source: The Illustrated Flora of British Columbia
USDA Species Characteristics
Flower Colour:
Green
Blooming Period:
Late Spring
Fruit/Seed characteristics:
Colour: Brown
Present over the Summer
Source: The USDA
Ecology
Ecological Framework for Equisetum fluviatile
The table below shows the species-specific information calculated from
original data (BEC database) provided by the BC Ministry of Forests and Range.
(Updated August, 2013)
The table below shows the species-specific information calculated from
original data (BEC database) provided by the BC Ministry of Forests and Range.
(Updated August, 2013)
| Site Information |
Value / Class |
||
|
Avg |
Min |
Max |
|
| Elevation
(metres) |
887 | 0 | 1952 |
| Slope
Gradient (%) |
0 | 0 | 76 |
|
Aspect (degrees) |
114 | 20 | 360 |
| Soil
Moisture Regime (SMR) [0 - very xeric; 4 - mesic; 8 - hydric] |
6 | 2 | 8 |
| Modal
Nutrient Regime
Class |
D | ||
| #
of field plots species was recorded in: |
581 | ||
| Modal
BEC Zone Class |
SBS | ||
|
All BEC Zones (# of stations/zone) species was recorded in |
BAFA(1), BG(5), BWBS(42), CDF(1), CWH(26), ESSF(47), ICH(111), IDF(67), MH(2), MS(47), PP(5), SBPS(39), SBS(167) | ||
|
Source:
Klinkenberg 2013
|
|||
Habitat and Range
Shallow water at lake margins, marshes, bogs and wet ditches in the lowland, steppe and montane zones; frequent throughout BC; circumpolar, N to AK, YT and NT, E to NF and S to VA, IN, IA, NE, WY, ID and OR; Eurasia.Status Information
Synonyms
Synonyms and Alternate Names:
Equisetum fluviatile var. limosum (L.) Gilbert
Equisetum limosum L.