Equisetum pratense — meadow horsetail
![Stem cross-section: Equisetum pratense. ~ By Elizabeth Farnsworth. ~ Copyright © 2024 New England Wild Flower Society. ~ Image Request, images[at]newenglandwild.org](https://newfs.s3.amazonaws.com/taxon-images-1000s1000/Equisetaceae/equisetum-pratense-st-efarnsworth.jpg)
![Plant form: Equisetum pratense. ~ By Arthur Haines. ~ Copyright © 2024 Arthur Haines. ~ arthur.d.haines[at]gmail.com](https://newfs.s3.amazonaws.com/taxon-images-1000s1000/Equisetaceae/equisetum-pratense-ha-ahaines.jpg)
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Facts
Meadow horsetail is common in the northern United States and Canada. In New England it is absent from southeast, rare in Connecticut and New Hampshire, and scattered in Maine. Meadow horsetail can be distinguised from field horsetail (Equisetum arvense) and other horsetails (Equisetum) by its delicate, feathery, horizontally spreading branches. It has been used as a winter food by the Inupiat Eskimos, who preserved it in seal oil.
Habitat
Forests, meadows and fields, woodlands
New England distribution
Adapted from BONAP data
Native: indigenous.
Non-native: introduced (intentionally or unintentionally); has become naturalized.
County documented: documented to exist in the county by evidence (herbarium specimen, photograph). Also covers those considered historical (not seen in 20 years).
State documented: documented to exist in the state, but not documented to a county within the state. Also covers those considered historical (not seen in 20 years).
Note: when native and non-native populations both exist in a county, only native status is shown on the map.
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enlargeCharacteristics
- Habitat
- terrestrial
- New England state
-
- Connecticut
- Maine
- Massachusetts
- New Hampshire
- Vermont
- Stem form
- the stem is relatively straight
- Branches
- there are branches off the main stem, but these branches are not branched
- Cone tip shape
- The tip of the spore cone is blunt
- Sheathes on older stems
- the leaf sheathes persist in older stems
- Sheath color
- the leaf sheath is mainly black
- Stem cross-section
- up to half of the stem diameter is occupied by the hollow central cavity
- Number of stem ridges
- 8–18
- Stem color
- the aerial stem color is green
- Sheath border color
- the border of the leaf sheath has a wide white edge
- Length of branch section
- the first internode of the branch is equal to or longer than the associated stem sheath
-
Leaves
- Leaf length
- 1.5–4 mm
- Leaves per node
- 8–18
- Sheath border color
- the border of the leaf sheath has a wide white edge
- Sheath color
- the leaf sheath is mainly black
- Sheathes on older stems
- the leaf sheathes persist in older stems
-
Place
- Habitat
- terrestrial
- New England state
-
- Connecticut
- Maine
- Massachusetts
- New Hampshire
- Vermont
- Specific habitat
-
- forests
- meadows or fields
- woodlands
-
Spores or spore cones
- Cone length
- 20–25 mm
- Cone tip shape
- The tip of the spore cone is blunt
- Spore form
- the spores are green and spherical
-
Stem, shoot, branch
- Branch grooves
- the interior of the grrove is C-shaped
- Branches
- there are branches off the main stem, but these branches are not branched
- How hollow is stem
- 17–33
- Length of branch section
- the first internode of the branch is equal to or longer than the associated stem sheath
- Number of stem ridges
- 8–18
- Plant height
- 160–500 mm
- Stem cavities
- 14
- Stem color
- the aerial stem color is green
- Stem cross-section
- up to half of the stem diameter is occupied by the hollow central cavity
- Stem differences
- the vegetative and reproductive stems differ in appearance
- Stem form
- the stem is relatively straight
- Stem texture
- the stem feels fairly to very rough
- Stem thickness
- 1–3 mm
Wetland status
Usually occurs in wetlands, but occasionally in non-wetlands. (Wetland indicator code: FACW)
In New England
Distribution
- Connecticut
- present
- Maine
- present
- Massachusetts
- present
- New Hampshire
- present
- Rhode Island
- absent
- Vermont
- present
Conservation status
Exact status definitions can vary from state to state. For details, please check with your state.
- Connecticut
- extremely rare (S-rank: S1), endangered (code: E)
- Massachusetts
- rare (S-rank: S2), #NAME? (code: #NAME?)
- Vermont
- uncommon (S-rank: S3)
From Flora Novae Angliae dichotomous key
5. Equisetum pratense Ehrh. N
meadow horsetail. CT, MA, ME, NH, VT; not in southeastern New England and scattered in ME. Meadows, woodlands, riparian forests with rich soils.
Native to North America?
Yes
Sometimes confused with
- Equisetum arvense:
- leaves with very narrow white margins and a central stem cavity that is ca. 25% of the entire stem diameter (vs. E. pratense, with leaves with relatively broad white margins and a central stem cavity that is 35-50% of the entire stem diameter).