Meadow Horsetail

Aerial stems dimorphic; vegetative stems green, branched, 16--50 cm; hollow center 1/6--1/3 stem diam. Sheaths somewhat elongate, 3--5 × 2--4 mm; teeth 8--18, narrow, 1.5--4 mm, centers dark and margins white. Branches in regular whorls, horizontal to drooping, solid; ridges 3; valleys channeled; 1st internode of each branch equal to or longer than subtending stem sheath; sheath teeth deltate. Fertile stems brown, with stomates, initially unbranched, persisting and becoming branched and green after spore discharge.

Alta., B.C., Man., N.B., Nfld., N.W.T., N.S., Ont., P.E.I., Que., Sask., Yukon; Alaska, Conn., Ill., Iowa, Maine, Mass., Mich., Minn., N.H., N.Y., N.Dak., Vt., Wis.; n Eurasia to ne China, Japan in Hokkaido.

Cones maturing in late spring. Meadows, wet woodlands; 0--2000m.