Equisetum fluviatile; The Water Horsetail is quit common on Iceland except for the highland regions. It typically grows in ditches and along bogs bordering rivers and lakes. This species never has side branches, like the much taller E. hyemale (which grows on much drier grounds) but unlike any other horsetail species on Iceland. It usually grows in dense, compact clusters of shoots. Another characteristic of this species is that the stems are hollow inside. For an easy identification of similar Iceland horsetails I have the table below:
- E. palustre: marsh horsetail: short side branches, terminal cones not pointed.
- E. fluviatile: water horsetail: no side branches, terminal cones not pointed, about 14 dental points on stem-sheaths.
- E. variegatum: variegated horsetail: no side branches, terminal cones pointed, about 5-8 dental points on stem-sheaths.
- E. hyemale: rough horsetail: no side branches, about 20 dental points on stem-sheath - but very tiny: the sheaths seems almost round. Much thicker stems than any other horsetail on Iceland.
