A N F Keys
1 Aerial stems dimorphic, having ivory-colored, ephemeral fertile shoots and green vegetative shoots with whorled branchlets; cone (strobilus) fusiform-ellipsoid, 55−80 × 15−19 mm, having 20−30 whorls of 8 sporangiophores per whorl .. Equisetum telmateia subsp. braunii [pics]
1' Aerial stems only green
2 Principal stems 6−12 mm diameter, with 22−44+ low ridges; sheath of leaves length < diameter, initially with a black band aging as two bands; cone (strobilus) (15−)25−35 × 7−9 mm, having 10−12 whorls of 13−15 sporangiophores per whorl .. Equisetum hyemale subsp. affine [pics]
2' Principal stems 2−4.5 mm diameter, with 14−23 low ridges; sheath of leaves length > diameter, with only one black band (absent); cone (strobilus) (10−)14−15 × 4−5 mm, having ± 7 whorls and 7−8 sporangiophores per whorl .. Equisetum laevigatum [pics]
The text of the above keys used with permission from
A Naturalist's Flora of the Santa Monica Mountains and Simi Hills, California
© Copyright
Barry A. Prigge and Arthur C. Gibson
2013