Scouring Rush Horsetails

Description:

The Horsetails: hundreds of millions of years ago the spore-bearing horsetails dominated much of the earth, but over the ages, seed-producing plants have unsurped their position. Stems are jointed and ridged, and portions may feel gritty to the touch. The stems of most species have a hollow central canal. Horsetails thrive in moist places. The unbranched types, commonly called scouring rushes, were once used for cleaning pots and pans. See conelike tip and jointed stems in pictures 5 and 6.