Nature History Story
Horsetail Equisetum
Horsetail is a non-flowering plant from equisetaceae family in the equisetum genus. It is commonly referred to as the living fossil since it is the only living genus of the Equisetopsidaclass. The plant derives its name from two Latin words“equus” and“seta”, meaning "horse," and, "bristle" respectively. Horsetail originated from fern-like tree plants that existed 400 million years ago in ancient life. It is a globally distributed perennial plant with hollow, bright-green stems and bushy tail-like branches.
Horsetail is known by various names in different places such as snake grass in South Africa. Other names are Bottle-brush, Toadpipe, Scouring rush, Equisetum arvense, Horse willow, Horse herb and so on. It reproduces through spores. It grows to different heights depending on the species. The giant horsetails grow up to a height of 8 meters. The plant mostly grows naturally in moist and acidic sandy soil. It regrows easily and rapidly by underground runners making it a toxic weed. This poses a problem for farmers as the plant is resistant to any form of insecticides and pesticides.
The plant is versatile in nature. Historically, horsetail plant was widely known for its medicinal value. Horsetail parts that grow above the ground are used for medicinal purposes. It contains antioxidant and anti-inflammatory chemicals. It can be used to treat diseases such as tuberculosis, anemia, bleeding gums, ulcers, urinary tract infection, kidney stones, jaundice, gout, and osteoporosis. It can also be applied on the skin to heal wounds and burns. The stems are used to make music instruments such as saxophones. It is an ornamental plant planted to decorate balconies, walkways and walls. The rough abrasive branches are used for cleaning metal utensils and polishing wooden tools. In Asia, the young fertile shoots are cooked or eaten raw.
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