Lidrus a.k.a the Marsh Horsetail Plant

The lidrus (Equisetum palustre) is a plant belonging to the horsetail family (Equisetaceae). The plant is found in the northern hemisphere and is especially toxic to cattle.

The plant is 20-60 cm high and has a bare root with root vegetables arranged in cords.

The green, hollow stem is up to 8 mm thick. The wreaths opposite leaves consist of small scales, where the leaf sheaths are mostly fused to a stalk sheath. The green to white filmy stengelscheden often have dark brown or blackish bands.

In May to July detect spikes appear at the top of the stems and sometimes on the branches. The blunt spikes are up to 3 cm long when ripe, dry them and then fall off. The ear consists of hexagonal scales on the inside where the sporangium the spores are located.

The tracks have chlorophyll and two jump wires (elateren) in dry state to trace his wound. When the spring wires get wet they stretch and push the spores out of the ear. There are two types of tracks: male and female. The spores grow into bacteria to leaf containing (prothallia). At this stage takes place after fertilization the ponytail into a complete plant can grow. The prothallia are bound to a locality very open.

The plant is found in damp, rich soil in grassland and marshes.



Source: http://nl.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lidrus


See also: Sending Flowers, Online Florist