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Equisetum variegatum — variegated scouring-rush

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New England distribution

Adapted from BONAP data

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North America distribution

Adapted from BONAP data

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Facts

Variegated scouring-rush has sheathes (which are actually reduced leaves) that are black and white, hence the common name.

Habitat

Anthropogenic (man-made or disturbed habitats), shores of rivers or lakes

Characteristics

Habitat
wetlands
New England state
  • Connecticut
  • Maine
  • Massachusetts
  • New Hampshire
  • Rhode Island
  • Vermont
Stem form
the stem is relatively straight
Branches
there are no branches off the main stem
Cone tip shape
the tip of the spore cone has a small, sharp point
Sheathes on older stems
the leaf sheathes persist in older stems
Sheath color
the leaf sheath is mainly black
Stem cross-section
up to half of the stem diameter is occupied by the hollow central cavity
Number of stem ridges
3–12
Stem color
the aerial stem color is green
Sheath border color
the border of the leaf sheath has a wide white edge
Length of branch section
NA
Show all characteristics

  • Leaves

    Leaf length
    1–2 mm
    Leaves per node
    3–12
    Sheath border color
    the border of the leaf sheath has a wide white edge
    Sheath color
    the leaf sheath is mainly black
    Sheathes on older stems
    the leaf sheathes persist in older stems

  • Place

    Habitat
    wetlands
    New England state
    • Connecticut
    • Maine
    • Massachusetts
    • New Hampshire
    • Rhode Island
    • Vermont
    Specific habitat
    • man-made or disturbed habitats
    • shores of rivers or lakes

  • Spores or spore cones

    Cone length
    5–8 mm
    Cone tip shape
    the tip of the spore cone has a small, sharp point
    Spore form
    the spores are green and spherical

  • Stem, shoot, branch

    Branch grooves
    NA
    Branches
    there are no branches off the main stem
    Length of branch section
    NA
    Number of stem ridges
    3–12
    Plant height
    60–480 mm
    Stem cavities
    5–12
    Stem color
    the aerial stem color is green
    Stem cross-section
    up to half of the stem diameter is occupied by the hollow central cavity
    Stem differences
    the vegetative and reproductive stems are similar in appearance
    Stem form
    the stem is relatively straight
    Stem texture
    the stem feels fairly to very rough
    Stem thickness
    1–4.5 mm

Wetland status

Usually occurs in wetlands, but occasionally in non-wetlands. (Wetland indicator code: FACW)

New England distribution and conservation status

Distribution

Connecticut
present
Maine
present
Massachusetts
present
New Hampshire
present
Rhode Island
present
Vermont
present

Conservation status

Exact status definitions can vary from state to state. For details, please check with your state.

Connecticut
fairly widespread (S-rank: S4S5)
Maine
fairly widespread (S-rank: S4)
Rhode Island
extremely rare (S-rank: S1), state endangered (code: SE)

ssp. variegatum

Massachusetts
uncommon (S-rank: S3)
New Hampshire
uncommon (S-rank: S3), W (code: W)

Native to North America?

Yes

Sometimes confused with

Equisetum hyemale:
stems with 14-50 ridges and deciduous leaves from all but upper nodes (vs. E. variegatum, with stems with 3-12 ridges and persistent leaves).

Synonyms

  • Hippochaete variegata (Schleicher ex F. Weber & D. Mohr) Bruhin

Family

Equisetaceae

Genus

Equisetum

Notes on subspecies and varieties in New England

Our subspecies is Equisetum variegatum Schleicher ex F. Weber & D. Mohr ssp. variegatum.

Help

From the dichotomous key of Flora Novae Angliae

8.  Equisetum variegatum Schleicher ex F. Weber & D. Mohr ssp. variegatum N

variegated scouring-rush. Hippochaete variegata (Schleicher ex F. Weber & D. Mohr) Bruhin 
• CT, MA, ME, NH, RI, VT; scattered in southern New England. Shorelines, pools, seeps, ditches, and wet sand of borrow pits, often in areas of high pH bedrock and/or till.

3×8. Equisetum hyemale × Equisetum variegatum → Equisetum ×‌mackaii (Newman) Brichan is an infrequent scouring-rush hybrid known from CT, MA, NH, VT. It is found in many locations where the parental taxa are sympatric. It has 7–16 leaves at each node that are persistent or some deciduous, 
with dark centers and thin white margins (the white margins broad and prominent in 
 E. variegatum). The sheaths have an apical black band or are ± black throughout, 
only rarely developing an ash-gray medial band (as in E. hyemale).

3×E. laevigatum A. Braun. Equisteum ×‌ferrissii Clute is a very rare scouring-rush hybrid known from CT, MA. It is much over-reported in the region, and most collections are merely variants of E. hyemale. Like other New England members of the former subgenus Hippochaete (species 3, 6, and 8), it has an apiculate strobilus apex. The leaves number 14–32 at each node. The sheaths often flare upward and have only a thin apical black band below the articulation point of the teeth, rarely developing also a brown basal band (rather than with apical and basal black bands separated by a medial ash-gray band in E. hyemale). The stem internodes of this hybrid have low, blunt scabrules on the ridges (rather than conspicuous, sharp scabrules as in E. hyemale).