How do underground rhizomes help horsetails spread?

Horsetails (Equisetum) rely primarily on vegetative reproduction rather than the sexual cycle to survive and spread in nature. This process is facilitated by their rhizomes, which are underground stems that share the same basic organization as the aerial parts of the plant.12

These rhizomes consist of distinct segments joined at nodes, which serve as the origin points for new roots and leaves. By growing and extending through the soil, these underground structures allow the plant to propagate asexually, enabling horsetails to colonize new areas and form dense stands without the need for successful spore germination and fertilization.12