equisetum

[ ek-wuh-see-tuh m ]

/ ˌɛk wəˈsi təm /

any plant of the genus Equisetum, comprising the horsetails.

Origin of equisetum

1820–30; < New Latin; Latin equisaetum, equivalent to equi-, combining form of equus horse + saet(a) bristle + -um neuter noun suffix

eq·ui·se·tic, adjective

March 10—Poplar and willow catkins started; also equisetum (horse-tail), saxifrage, and probably other water plants.

Birds and All Nature, Vol. V, No. 4, April 1899 |Various
Equisetum silvaticum is our rarest horsetail; and our only clubmoss is Lycopodium clavatum.

Hertfordshire |Herbert W Tompkins
Near the shore grew the Naked Horse-tail (Equisetum hyemale), having a shoot springing from its root on each side.

Lachesis Lapponica |Carl von Linn
To take away the unevennesses and roughnesses dried shave-grass (equisetum) answers best.

A Dictionary of Arts, Manufactures and Mines |Andrew Ure

You know what lovely little fern or equisetum stalks of sapphire the filaments are; they beat me so, but they're coming nice.

Hortus Inclusus |John Ruskin

equisetum

/ (ˌɛkwɪˈsiːtəm) /

any tracheophyte plant of the genus Equisetum, which comprises the horsetails

C19: New Latin, changed from Latin equisaetum, from equus horse + saeta bristle