Equisetum sylvaticum 林木賊、林問荊

Common name: Wood Horsetail
Scientific name: Equisetum sylvaticum 林木賊、林問荊
Genus: Equisetum 木賊屬
Family: Equisetaceae 木賊科, horsetail family
Origin: native

Date: 14th July

[015] Deciduous erect perennial, can grow to 80 cm, often forming large stands.

[016] Found in stream banks.

[014]

[046] Shoot apices are drawn to a point. (vs shoot usually appear blunt-tipped in shade horsetail, Equisetum pratense 草間荊、馬鬍鬚)

[050] Branches dropping.

[054]

[031_1] Branches at the top of the stem.

[029_1] Branches at the top of the stem.

[055] Primary branches secondarily branched.

[030] Branches at lower stem.

[029_2] Main stem near the top of the plant showing the primary branches.

[031_2] Main stem near the top of the plant showing the primary branches.

[030_1] Main stem a bit below, showing the primary branches at the stem sheath. Secondarily branches can also be seen here.

[027_1] Branch teeth.

[055_2] Primary branches secondarily branched.

[058]

[026] Branches at the stem sheath.

[034] Bottom view of the branches at the stem sheath.

[021_2] Stem slightly rough, with 10-18 ridges.

[058_1] Stem sheath teeth joined along their margins into 3-6 lobes.
(Stem sheath are loose and their teeth are fused to give the apperance of just four scales.)

[055_1] Branch teeth on side branches.

[021_1] Stem sheath of older stem.

[026_1] Branches arising at stem sheath of older stem.

[034_1] Bottom view of the branches at stem sheath.

Equisetum fluviatile 水問荊、水木賊、溪木賊

Common name: Water Horsetail
Scientific name: Equisetum fluviatile 水問荊、水木賊、溪木賊
Genus: Equisetum 木賊屬
Family: Equisetaceae 木賊科, horsetail family

Origin: native

Date: 4th June & 7th June at another location

[002_1] Deciduous perennial, can grow to 1.5 m. Unbranched or irregularly branched shoot. Can found in low waters of ponds, lakes and ditches. The above plants are found in ponds.

[055] (took on 7th June)

[025_1] Young shoots emerging from the soil.

[025_2] Young shoot.

[007_2] Stem smooth (relatively compared to other spp. of horsetails.), with 10-30 obscure ridges.

[006_2] Stem sheath teeth small, black-tipped, lacking pale margins.

(vs dark tipped teeth with membranous margins on stem sheath in marsh horsetail, Equisetum palustre 犬問荊) 

[012] Stem sheath on lower stem.

[028_1] Stem sheath with 16 teeth in this individual.

[032_2] Central hollow (pith cavity 髓腔) large. (Gets a clean break and the stem is hollow if the stem is snapped.) 10-30 obscure ridges (16 ridges in this individual). 

[013] Stem with buds of lateral branches.

[013_1] Lateral buds emerging from the main stem.

[014_1] Lateral buds further down the stem.

[007_1] Longer lateral branches.

[008_1] Branch segments can now be seen.

[011] Even lower node showing the branches with the stem sheath.

[011_1] Enlarged photo above.
Note the lowest branch segments are similar length to the stem sheath.
(vs the lowest branch segments are longer than, or as long as the stem sheath in field horsetail, Equisetum arvense 問荊、杉菜 vs the lowest branch segments are shorter than the stem sheath in marsh horsetail, Equisetum palustre 犬問荊)

[011_2]

[009_1]  Green branch teeth and the branch segment.
(vs dark-tipped teeth on side branches in marsh horsetail, Equisetum palustre 犬問荊)

[022_1] Individuals with terminal cones.

[019_1]

[058] (took on 7th June)

[023_1] Much enlarged cones for this individual.

[006_1] Developing cone.

[018_1]

[015_1]

[017_1] Ripe cone.

[053_1] (took on 7th June)

[053_2] (took on 7th June) Sporangiophores are split apart from each other, and sporangia underside them could now be seen.

Equisetum variegatum 班紋木賊

Common name: Variegated Horsetail
Scientific name: Equisetum variegatum 班紋木賊
Genus: Equisetum 木賊屬
Family: Equisetaceae 木賊科, horsetail family

Origin: native

Date: 5th July

[240] Evergreen perennial, can grow up to 60 cm.

Stem prostrate to erect.

[253] Stem erect or semi-prostrate..
Stem branched at base or with few single branches at each node further up stem (could not be seen in above photo). Sometimes unbranched.

 

[225_4] Stem blue-green, rough, with 4-10 ridges.
Stem sheath with black band at base, teeth with broad pale border and black midrib.
(Stem sheath black with colorless (scarious 乾膜質的) teeth -- provide the name 'variegatum')

[225_5] Stem sheath at lower stem node.

[227_1] Stem tip with no cones.

[229_1] Cone seems to be forming in this stem.

[230_1] Top of the stem.

[223_1] Cone is developing.

[225_1] Terminal cone (strobilus) 孢子葉球 with a conical peak.

[232_1] Cone with yellow, hexagonal sporangiophores 孢(子)囊柄.

[234_1] Withering cone.

[237_1] Withering cone.

[263_2] Cross-section of the stem showing 6 ridges (R) (4-10 ridges) and 6 alternate furrows (F). Ridges are supported by sclerenchyma (S) 厚壁組織. There is a small central hollow- pith cavity (Pc) 髓腔surrounded by 6 vascular bundles (Vc) 維管束 and 6 vallecular canals (Vc) 糟腔.