Home | > | List of families | > | Equisetaceae | > | Equisetum | > | ramosissimum |
Synonyms: |
Equisetum burchellii Vaucher Equisetum thunbergii Wikstr. |
Common names: | |
Frequency: | |
Status: | Native |
Description: |
Subterranean stem black, up to 5 mm in diameter, usually vertical and deeply buried, branching into horizontal stems, all rooting at the nodes and bearing aerial stems at intervals. Aerial stem hollow, longitudinally ribbed, erect, c. 0.5-1(2) m tall, with up to 16 thinner branches arranged in whorls at the nodes. Leaves scale-like, up to 10 mm, narrowly lanceolate with a single vein, often shiny-black with pale translucent margins, 1 per stemrib; 12-16 leaves united for most of their length but with free black acuminate teeth and forming a whorled sheath above each node. Strobili borne terminally on the main stem, oblong, 23 × 8 mm, with a blunt conical apex. |
Notes: | |
Derivation of specific name: | ramosissimum: much branched, referring to the numerous whorls of branches that this fern has at each node. |
Habitat: | Terrestrial in moist areas, along perennial streams, in seasonally flooded areas and among grasses in full sun. |
Altitude range: (metres) | Up to 2000 m |
Worldwide distribution: | Widespread in Africa, Madagascan region, Macaronesia, southern and central Europe, Asia (except Malaysia), south and central America. |
Zimbabwe distribution: | N,W,C,E,S |
Growth form(s): | Lithophyte, terrestrial. |
Endemic status: | |
Red data list status: | |
Insects associated with this species: | |
Spot characters: | Display spot characters for this species |
Images last updated: | Thursday 8 December 2011 |
Literature: |
Burrows, J.E. (1990). Southern African Ferns and Fern Allies. Frandsen, Sandton. Pages 37 - 38. (Includes a picture). Burrows, J.E. & Burrows, S.M. (1993). An annotated check-list of the pteridophytes of Malawi Kirkia 14(1) Page 81. As Equisetum ramosissimum Burrows, J.E. & Willis, C.K. (eds) (2005). Plants of the Nyika Plateau Southern African Botanical Diversity Network Report No. 31 SABONET, Pretoria Page 31. as Equisetum ramosissimum (Includes a picture). Chapano, C. & Mugarisanwa, N.H. (2003). Plants of the Matobo District National Herbarium and Botanic Garden, Zimbabwe Page 15. As Equisetum ramosissimum Crouch, N.R., Klopper, R.R., Burrows, J.E. & Burrows, S.M. (2011). Ferns of Southern Africa, A comprehensive guide Struik Nature Pages 134 - 135. (Includes a picture). Da Silva, M.C., Izidine, S. & Amude, A.B. (2004). A preliminary checklist of the vascular plants of Mozambique. Southern African Botanical Diversity Network Report No. 30 Sabonet, Pretoria Page 11. Germishuizen, G. & Meyer, N.L. (eds) (2003). Plants of southern Africa: an annotated checklist. Strelitzia 14 Page 72. Jacobsen, W.B.G. (1983). The Ferns and Fern Allies of Southern Africa. Butterworths, Durban and Pretoria. Pages 158 - 159. (Includes a picture). Kornas, J. (1979). Distribution and ecology of the Pteridophytes in Zambia Polska Akademia Nauk Wydzial II Nauk Biologicznych Pages 35 - 36. Mapaura, A. & Timberlake, J. (eds) (2004). A checklist of Zimbabwean vascular plants Southern African Botanical Diversity Network Report No. 33 Sabonet, Pretoria and Harare Page 6. Roux, J.P. (2001). Conspectus of Southern African Pteridophyta. Southern African Botanical Diversity Network Report 13 Pages 17 - 18. Roux, J.P. (2009). Synopsis of the Lycopodiophyta and Pteridophyta of Africa, Madagascar and neighbouring islands Pages 29 - 30. Schelpe, E.A.C.L.E. (1970). Pteridophyta Flora Zambesiaca Pages 32 - 34. (Includes a picture). Setshogo, M.P. (2005). Preliminary checklist of the plants of Botswana. Sabonet Report no. 37. Sabonet, Pretoria and Gaborone Page 15. as Equisetum ramosissimum |
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