great horsetail

Equisetum telmateia

The great horsetail is a tall, green plant that looks like a giant green brush! It grows in wet places and is very special because it has been around for millions of years.

Hábitat: Wetlands

Aspecto

The great horsetail has two distinct types of stems. Early fertile stems are unbranched, pale brown, and topped with a cone of spores. Later, sterile stems grow tall and vivid green with whorls of fine, brush-like branches, resembling a miniature fir tree.

ReinoPlantaeFiloTracheophytaClasePolypodiopsidaOrdenEquisetalesFamiliaEquisetaceaeGéneroEquisetum

great horsetail

Categoría

Plantas

Rareza

Common

Peligro

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Snaps

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Datos interesantes

Ancient plant relatives grew as tall as trees during the age of dinosaurs!

Each spore has spring-like elaters, helping it jump and fly in the wind!

It breathes through tiny holes called stomata, mostly on its branches!

Its rough stems were once used by pioneers to scrub pots and pans!

Habilidades especiales

Great horsetail has silica crystals in its stems that make it strong and abrasive, helping it deter munching animals.

Great horsetail can spread tiny, dust-like spores that float on the wind to grow new plants, helping it colonize damp areas.

Great horsetail grows long underground stems called rhizomes, allowing it to rapidly spread and form large colonies.

Medidas y detalles

Altura: 20-100 cm
Extensión: 30-150 cm
Comestible: No
Toxicidad: Leve
Ciclo de vida: Perenne
Método de polinización: Viento

Conexiones ecológicas

eats

Horsetail Leaf Beetle

Lema cyanella

Larvae and adults feed on horsetail stems.

shelters

Common Frog

Rana temporaria

Hides among its dense stems near water.

shelters

Common Garter Snake

Thamnophis sirtalis

Hides within thick horsetail growth near water.

Rasgos

Fijador de nitrógeno

Describe a los organismos capaces de convertir el nitrógeno atmosférico en compuestos utilizables por las plantas.

Similar a la hierba

Las plantas similares a la hierba son plantas herbáceas que se asemejan visualmente a las verdaderas hierbas, típicamente con hojas largas y estrechas.

Productor de esporas

Los organismos que producen esporas se reproducen liberando unidades reproductivas pequeñas, a menudo unicelulares, llamadas esporas.

Descomponedor

Describe a los organismos que descomponen la materia orgánica muerta, reciclando los nutrientes de vuelta al ecosistema.

Humedal

Este rasgo de hábitat identifica especies que se encuentran en humedales, que son áreas de tierra saturadas de agua, ya sea permanente o estacionalmente, e incluyen marismas, pantanos y ciénagas.