E Q^U I S E T U M arvenfe.
L in . Sp. P / 1 516. Flo. Angl. 44-7. Scot. 647. Gant. 344. Ray
Syn, 13 0 . Ger. Em. 1 1 1 4 . Park. 12 0 2 .
L A B . XXXIV.
C O R N H O R S E T A I L .
TH E root is o f a dark brown or blackifh colour, jointed at equal
diftances, emits numerous black fibres from the joints, and creeps
to a great diftance under the furface.
• The fertile ihoots at a, make their appearance about the end of
March ; the flowering fpike being at firft hidden under the brown imbricated
vagina; when the fpike firft appears it is of a greenifti colour,
afterwards changes to brown, and when at maturity the valves open, and
difcharge a pale coloured downy powder, which is the feed.
The ftem is round, fmooth, hollow, and of a pale pleafant brown,
it confifts of feven or eight joints, each furrounded by the bafe of a fufcous
vagina, which is a little inflated, and divided at the top in about
twelve narrow, pointed, brown fegments. This ftem very rarely produces
any fecond leaves ; it generally falls and difappears before the appearance
of the barren leaves.
B A R R E N L E A V E S ,
The barren leaves, b, appear in April, and grow from the fame roots
as the fertile ones ; at their firft coming up the fecond leaves are hidden
under the vagina, but foon make their appearance in about twelve fhort
whirls, and form the refemblance of a rough fpike. When full grown it
is about two feet high from the root to the top, and confifts of fifteen or
twenty