Equisetum palustre

Equisetum palustre, the marsh horsetail,[2] is a plant species belonging to the division of horsetails (Equisetopsida).[3] It is widespread in cooler regions of North America and Eurasia.[4][5]

Marsh horsetail
Equisetum palustre

Secure  (NatureServe)
Scientific classification Edit this classification
Kingdom: Plantae
Clade: Tracheophytes
Division: Polypodiophyta
Class: Polypodiopsida
Subclass: Equisetidae
Order: Equisetales
Family: Equisetaceae
Genus: Equisetum
Subgenus: E. subg. Equisetum
Species:
E. palustre
Binomial name
Equisetum palustre
Synonyms[1]
  • Equisetum majus Garsault
  • Equisetum braunii J.Milde

Description

Equisetum palustre is a perennial cryptophyte, growing between 10 and 50 centimeters (4" to 20"), in rare cases up to one meter (3'). Its fertile shoots, which carry ears, are evergreen and shaped like the sterile shoots. The rough, furrowed stem is one to three mm in diameter with usually eight to ten ribs, in rare cases, four to 12. It contains whorled branches. The tight-fitting sheaths end in four to 12 teeth. The lower sheaths are dark brown and much shorter than the sheaths of the main shoot. The central and vallecular canals are about the same size, but the carinal channels are much smaller. The central channels measure about one sixth of the diameter of the stem.

The spores are spread by the wind (anemochory) and have four long ribbon-like structures attached to them. They sit on strobili which are rounded on the top. Marsh Horsetails often form subterranean runners and tubers, with which they also can proliferate vegetatively.

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. A specific plant association in which E. palustre is found is the Juncus subnodulosus-Cirsium palustre fen-meadow.[6]

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's 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.[7][8][9][10]

Taxonomy

Linnaeus was the first to describe marsh horsetail with the binomial Equisetum palustre in his Species Plantarum of 1753.[11]

References
  1. The Plant List, Equisetum telmateia Ehrh.
  2. BSBI List 2007 (xls). Botanical Society of Britain and Ireland. Archived from the original (xls) on 2015-06-26. Retrieved 2014-10-17.
  3. ITIS. 2009
  4. Flora of North America, Marsh horsetail, prêle des marais, Equisetum palustre Linnaeus, Sp. Pl. 2: 1061. 1753.
  5. Flora of China, 犬问荆 quan wen jing Equisetum palustre Linnaeus
  6. C. Michael Hogan. 2009
  7. 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 Ontogeny
  8. https://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 plants
  9. https://pfaf.org/user/Plant.aspx?LatinName=Equisetum+palustre Plants for Future
  10. https://poisonousplants.ansci.cornell.edu/toxicagents/thiaminase.html Cornell University, Department of Animal Science - Plants Poisonous to Livestock
  11. Linnaeus, C. (1753). Species Plantarum. Vol. II (1st ed.). Stockholm: Laurentii Salvii. p. 1061.

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