How does wood horsetail, Equisetum sylvaticum, differ from common horsetail?

Both the wood horsetail (Equisetum sylvaticum) and the common horsetail (Equisetum arvense) belong to the genus Equisetum within the class Equisetopsida. They differ primarily in their physical appearance and preferred habitats:

• Appearance: The wood horsetail is characterized by its many delicate, drooping, and usually forked branches that circle the shoots. In contrast, the common horsetail typically features fairly thick, solid branches that arise from below the sheaths and circle the shoots like spokes on a wheel.12
• Habitat: Wood horsetail is found in moist, cool woods. Common horsetail is a widespread species frequently found along stream banks and in meadows.2
• Reproductive Shoots: While both species produce specialized shoots for reproduction, their life cycles differ slightly in timing and appearance. The common horsetail produces flesh-colored, non-green fertile shoots that appear briefly in the spring and wither after spores are shed. The wood horsetail produces fertile shoots that are initially non-green but may become green after the spores have been released.23