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.

Polygonatum odoratum 玉竹、萎、尾參、地管子、鈴鐺菜

Common name: Angular Solomon's-seal
Scientific name: Polygonatum odoratum 玉竹、萎、尾參、地管子、鈴鐺菜
Genus: Polygonatum 黃精屬

Family: Asparagaceae 天門冬科*, asparagus family

Remarks*: It is previously belonged to the Liliaceae 百合科, the lily family.

Origin: native

Date: 18th May & 15th June (fruiting)

[125417] Found in limestone pavement.

[157] (took on 15th June)

Emergent from grikes (岩)溶溝.

(A deep cleft formed in limestone surfaces due to water erosion)

[422] A cluster of angular Solomon's-seal in a grike.

[512] Younger plants.

[511_1] Very young plants with only one leaf.

[497_1] Young plant with more leaves.

[503_1] The base of the stem (see enlarged photo below).

[505_1] The base of the stem arising from the underground rhizome.

[453] Flowering plant.

[438] Stems distinctly angled. Note the leaves are attached directly to the stem without a petiole.

[439] Stems distinctly angled and also twisted. (vs stems smooth in Solomon's-seal, Polygonatum multiflorum 多花黃精)

[433_1] Upper surface of a leaf.

[427_1] Lower surface of a leaf.

[448] Flowers in clusters of 1-2 (one above). (vs in 2-5 flowered clusters in Solomon's-seal, Polygonatum multiflorum 多花黃精)

[427]

[428_1] Flower bud.

[429_1] Open flower. Flower tubular, not contracted in middle. (vs flower contracted in middle in Solomon's-seal, Polygonatum multiflorum 多花黃精)

[507_1] Front view of a flower, showing 6 perianth segments.

[443_1] 6 perianth segments.

[443_2] Enlarged photo above showing the 6 glabrous filaments (Ft) with yellow anthers at their tips (Ar). Note the stamens arose directly from the inner surface of perianths. In the middle of the flower, there is one style (Se) with stigma (Sa) at its tip. (vs hairy filaments in Solomon's-seal, Polygonatum multiflorum 多花黃精)

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[152] (took on 15th June) Fruiting now.

[159_1] (took on 15th June)

[150] (took on 15th June)

[147_1] (took on 15th June)

A young fruit. (ripe fruit would turns red or black)

[150_1] (took on 15th June)
Remains of style at its tip.