4. By Oswald Tippo (1942)
Sub-kingdom Embryophyta
Phylum Tracheophyta
Subphyllum Sphenopsida
Class Equisetineae
Equisetales
5. By G.M. Smith (1955)
Division Calamophyta
Class Equisetonae
Equisetales
6. By W. Wardlaw (1955)
Division : Tracheophyta
Sub-division: Sphenopsida
Class : Equisetineae
Order: Equisetales
7. By K. R. Spore (1962 later revised in 1975)
- using Reimer’s classification. Spore
divided the division Pteridophyta into 6
classes – Psilopsida, Psilotopsida,
Lycopsida, Sphenopsida, Pteropsida
and Progymnospermopsida.
Division: Pteridophyta
Class: Sphenopsida
Order: Equisetales
Family: Equisetaceae
8. By Stewart and Rothwell (1993)
- Divided the kingdom into two divisions:
Division Tracheophyta and Division
Angiospermophytina.
Kingdom IV: Plantae
Division: Tracheophyta
(vascular plants)
Class: Sphenopsida
Order: Equisetales
9. By Taylor and Taylor (1993) –
Classified Pteridophytes into six broad
headings namely:
Early vascular plants, lycopods, sphenophytes,
early fern like plants, true fern, and
progymnosperms on the basis of geological
occurrence and evolutionary aspects.
11. Family Equisetaceae
- Perennial plants, homosporous, small to large,
terrestrial, aquatic or in shallow water. (Libing &
Turland, 2013; Bhattacharya, et al. 2011b; Steenis &
Pertanian, 1963).
- It has a hollowed stem with nodes and
internodes. The lower internode is often
blackish brown with silica turbecles on
epidermis (Libing and Turland, 2013; Bold et
al., 1987).
12. Leaves are reduced
or small, scalelike
and arranged in
whorl
(Libing & Turland,
2013Steenis &
Pertanian, 1963).
14. Genera Equisetum
Stomata are scattered in the furrows of the
stem.
Leaves are blunt.
Strobili borne on chlorophyllous stems and not
pointed.
15. Comparison of Equisetum species (3
representatives)
Based on Strobilus
Species Shape Measurement Apex
E. hyemale ovate 1.0 – 6 cm Length
0.4 – 0.7 cm
diameter
With small acute
tip and sessile
E.
ramosissimum
Shortly
clavate
or
ellipsoid
1-2.5 cm Length
0.4 – 0.7 cm
diameter
With small acute
tip and sessile
E. arvense terete 1.8 – 4 cm length
0.9 – 1 cm
diameter
Blunt, stalked
prolonged
16. Based on Aerial Stem
Species Form Measur
ement
Matrue
Main Stem
No. of
sheath teeth
and shape
No. of
Ridge
E. hyemale monomorphic 18-50 cm
tall
1-4 mm
diameter
Unbrached or
rarely
branched
16-22 teeth
Light brown
lanceolate
16- 22 ridge
E.
ramosissim
um
monomorphic 60 cm tall
3-7 mm
diameter
branched Lateral stem:
6-10 teeth
Lanceolate
Light brown
Main stem:
10 – 20
Narrowly deltoid
Light brown
10-20 ridges
E. arvense dimorphic 5-35 cm
tall
3-5 mm
diameter
branched Fertile stem:
9 – 12 teeth
Narrowly deltoid
castaneous
Sterile Stem:
5-6 teeth
Deltoid
Blackish brown
inconspicuou
s
21. Stem of E. ramosissimum (photo by Enzo de Santis)
22. References:
Bhattacharya, K., Hait, G. and Ghosh, A. K. (2011). A Textbook of Botany.
Vol 1.p. 600-603.
Steenis, C. G. G. J., & Pertanian, I. D. (1963). Flora malesiana. Erven P.
Noordhoff.
Bold, H. C., Alexopoulos, C. J., & Delevoryas, T. (1987). Morphology of
plants and fungi. Harper and Row.
Britton, N. L., & Brown, A. (1913). An Illustrated Flora of the northern United
States, Canada and the British possessions: from Newfoundland to the
parallel of the southern boundary of Virginia, and from the Atlantic Ocean
westward to the 102d meridian (Vol. 1). C. Scribner's sons.
Watson, L., and Dallwitz, M.J. 2004 onwards. The Equisetum species
(horsetails) of the British Isles. Version: 7th March 2015.
http://delta-intkey.com/
