Equisetum giganteum

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Equisetum giganteum
Equisetum giganteum 2 ies.jpg
Scientific classification edit
Kingdom: Plantae
Clade: Tracheophytes
Division: Polypodiophyta
Class: Polypodiopsida
Subclass: Equisetidae
Order: Equisetales
Family: Equisetaceae
Genus: Equisetum
Subgenus:
Species:
E. giganteum
Binomial name
Equisetum giganteum
Synonyms[1]
  • Equisetum bolivianum Gand.
  • Equisetum martii Milde
  • Equisetum pyramidale Goldm.
  • Equisetum ramosissiumum Kunth non Desf.
  • Equisetum schaffneri Milde
  • Equisetum xylochaetum Mett.

Equisetum giganteum, with the common name southern giant horsetail, is a species of horsetail native to South America and Central America, from central Chile east to Brazil and north to southern Mexico.

Description[]

It is one of the largest horsetails, growing 2–5 metres (6.6–16.4 ft) tall, exceeded only by the closely allied Equisetum myriochaetum (up to 8 metres (26 ft) relying on surrounding plants' support). The stems are the stoutest of any horsetail, 1–2 cm diameter (up to 3.5 cm (1.33 inches) in diameter in some populations),[2] and bear numerous whorls of very slender branches; these branches are not further branched, but some terminate in spore cones. Unlike some other horsetails, it does not have separate photosynthetic sterile and non-photosynthetic spore-bearing stems.

Populations from northern Chile with very stout stems up to 3.5 cm diameter have sometimes been treated as a separate species Equisetum xylochaetum,[3] but this is not widely regarded as distinct.

References[]

  1. ^ Tropicos.org, retrieved 5 January 2016
  2. ^ Husby, Chad (<not recorded>). "How large Can Giant Equisetum Become?". Retrieved August 25, 2004. Check date values in: |date= (help)
  3. ^ Equisetum xylochaetum at Flora Brasiliensis online

External links[]

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