Equisetum palustre
{{short description|Species of vascular plant in the horsetail family}}
{{Italic title}}
{{Speciesbox
| name = Marsh horsetail
| image = equisetum_palustre_detail.jpeg
| image_caption = Equisetum palustre
| status = {{TNCStatus}}
| status_system = TNC
| parent = Equisetum subg. Equisetum
| genus = Equisetum
| species = palustre
| authority = L.
| synonyms_ref = {{Cite POWO|title=Equisetum palustre L..|id=30039890-2|access-date=2024-09-17|mode=cs1}}
| synonyms =
{{Species list|hidden=yes
|Equisetum aquatile|Scheller, nom. superfl.
|Equisetum arenarium|Opiz
|Equisetum hybridum|Huter
|Equisetum limosum var. minus|Roth
|Equisetum nodosum|Hoppe
|Equisetum palustre subvar. apiculatum|Coss. & Germ.
|Equisetum palustre var. americanum|Vict.
|Equisetum palustre var. aphyllum|Lej.
|Equisetum palustre var. apiculatum|(Coss. & Germ.) Rouy
|Equisetum palustre var. arcuatum|Milde
|Equisetum palustre var. collinum-tenerrimum|Schur
|Equisetum palustre var. japonicum|Nakai
|Equisetum palustre var. leptostachyum|Wallr., nom. superfl.
|Equisetum palustre var. membranaceum|Lej.
|Equisetum palustre var. microstachyum|Schur
|Equisetum palustre var. nanum|Milde
|Equisetum palustre var. nigridens|H.St.John
|Equisetum palustre var. nudum|Duby, nom. illeg.
|Equisetum palustre var. nudum|Opiz
|Equisetum palustre var. paludosum|Schur
|Equisetum palustre var. polystachion|Gray
|Equisetum palustre var. polystachyum|A.Braun & Engelm., nom. illeg.
|Equisetum palustre var. polystachyum|Weigel
|Equisetum palustre var. prostratum|Brause, nom. illeg.
|Equisetum palustre var. ramosissimum|M.Peck
|Equisetum palustre var. ramosum|Opiz
|Equisetum palustre var. ramulosum|Milde
|Equisetum palustre var. simplex|Rupr.
|Equisetum palustre var. simplicissimum|A.Braun & Engelm.
|Equisetum palustre var. szechuanense|C.N.Page
|Equisetum palustre var. tenue|Döll
|Equisetum palustre var. tenuissimum|Gray
|Equisetum torgesianum|Rothm.
|Equisetum tuberosum|Hectot ex DC.
|Equisetum veronense|Pollini
|Presla palustris|(L.) Dulac
}}
}}
Equisetum palustre, the marsh horsetail,{{BSBI 2007 |accessdate=2014-10-17 }} is a perennial herbaceous pteridophyte belonging to the subclass of horsetails (Equisetidae). It is widespread in cooler regions of Eurasia and North America.{{cite web |title=Equisetum palustre L. |work=Plants of the World Online |publisher=Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew|url=https://powo.science.kew.org/taxon/urn:lsid:ipni.org:names:30039890-2 |access-date=2024-09-16 }}[http://www.efloras.org/florataxon.aspx?flora_id=1&taxon_id=233500621 Flora of North America, Marsh horsetail, prêle des marais, Equisetum palustre Linnaeus, Sp. Pl. 2: 1061. 1753. ][http://www.efloras.org/florataxon.aspx?flora_id=2&taxon_id=233500621 Flora of China, 犬问荆 quan wen jing Equisetum palustre Linnaeus]
Description
Equisetum palustre has stems growing between 10-60 cm tall. The upright stems are usually scarcely branched with loose green leaf sheaths that have 5-10 narrow, dark teeth. The teeth are light at the edges. The lowest internode of the upright branches are much shorter than the leaf sheath of the stem.Hyde, H. A., Wade, A. E., & Harrison, S. G. (1978). Welsh Ferns. National Museum of Wales {{ISBN|0-7200-0210-9}}.{{cite book |last1=Piirainen |first1=Mikko |title=Kotimaan luonnonkasvit |last2=Piirainen |first2=Pirkko |last3=Vainio |first3=Hannele |date=1999 |publisher=WSOY |isbn=951-0-23001-4 |location=Porvoo, Finland |page=22 |language=fi |trans-title=Native wild plants}}
The rough, furrowed stem is 1–3 mm diameter, with usually 8–10 ribs, in rare cases, 4–12; it bears a variable number of whorled branches.
The spores are spread by the wind (anemochory) and have four long ribbon-like structures attached to them. The spores sit on strobili which are rounded on the top. Marsh horsetails often form runners, with which they also can proliferate vegetatively.
Taxonomy
Linnaeus was the first to describe marsh horsetail with the binomial Equisetum palustre in his Species Plantarum of 1753.{{cite book | title=Species Plantarum | edition=1st | volume=II | last=Linnaeus | first=C. | authorlink=Carl Linnaeus | year=1753 | publisher=Laurentii Salvii | location=Stockholm | url=https://www.biodiversitylibrary.org/page/359082|page=1061}}
Ecology
Equisetum palustre is green from spring to autumn and grows spores from June to September. It grows primarily in nutrient-rich wet meadows. It is found in Europe and the circumpolar region up to mountainous heights. Its distribution is declining.{{Citation needed|date=April 2024}}
In Finland, it has benefited from human action and grows often in road and track sides, ditches and especially peat based fields and pastures.
A specific plant association in which E. palustre is found is the Juncus subnodulosus-Cirsium palustre fen-meadow.{{Cite web |date=2012-12-13 |title=Marsh Thistle (Cirsium palustre) - photo/images/information - GlobalTwitcher.com |url=http://www.globaltwitcher.com/artspec_information.asp?thingid=48639 |access-date=2024-04-16 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20121213144520/http://www.globaltwitcher.com/artspec_information.asp?thingid=48639 |archive-date=2012-12-13 }}
Toxicity
Equisetum palustre is poisonous to mammals, most often reported as potentially fatal to horses, as it contains alkaloids palustrine and palustridiene, which destroy vitamin B1. According to Wink, Equisetum palustre also contains thiaminase enzymes. It is also known to contain lesser amounts of nicotine. Many thiaminases, however, are denatured by heat, and some sources refer Equisetum palustre safe to eat in moderate amounts when properly cooked.https://www.mdpi.com/2072-6651/12/11/710/htm Variation of the Main Alkaloid Content in Equisetum palustre L. in the Light of Its Ontogenyhttps://core.ac.uk/download/pdf/235685921.pdf Heidelberg University, Institute of Pharmacy and Molecular Biotechnology (2009). Mode of action and toxicology of plant toxins and poisonous plantshttps://pfaf.org/user/Plant.aspx?LatinName=Equisetum+palustre Plants for Futurehttps://poisonousplants.ansci.cornell.edu/toxicagents/thiaminase.html Cornell University, Department of Animal Science - Plants Poisonous to Livestock In Finland, it used to lower the production of dairy when cows would eat them in place of other preferable fodder.
Gallery
File:EquisetemPalustreKythira.jpg|Marsh horsetail in Kythira
References
{{Reflist}}
- [http://www.efloras.org/florataxon.aspx?flora_id=1&taxon_id=233500621 Flora of North America: Equisetum palustre]
External links
- Walkowiak R. J., [https://www.researchgate.net/publication/335995986_Equisetum_palustre_IEA_Collection_of_Equisetum_2019 Equisetum palustre L.], IEA Collection of Equisetum, 2019
{{Commons category-inline|Equisetum palustre}}{{Taxonbar|from=Q21122}}
Category:Plants described in 1753
Category:Taxa named by Carl Linnaeus