horsetail: Quick Facts

Written and fact-checked by

The Information Architects of Encyclopaedia Britannica

Facts

Also Known As	Equisetum • scouring rush

Photos

Common horsetail (Equisetum arvense).

Diagram showing the life cycle of Equisetum (horsetail), a Sphenopsida plant, with stages labeled: mature sporophyte produces spores by meiosis, spores grow into gametophytes, gametophytes form eggs and sperm, fertilization produces a zygote, and the zygote develops into a young sporophyte.

See All Images →

Topics

wood horsetail variegated horsetail Equisetum telmateia Equisetum giganteum Dutch rush common horsetail giant horsetail Equisetaceae

Dig Deeper: More Articles That Discuss This Topic

Equisetopsida: Introduction

Venus's-flytrap. Venus's-flytrap (Dionaea muscipula) one of the best known of the meat-eating plants. Carnivorous plant, Venus flytrap, Venus fly trap

Plants: From Cute to Carnivorous