Distribution: Occurring chiefly east of the Cascades crest in Washington; Alaska to Oregon, east across southern Canada and the northern third of the United States to the Atlantic Coast; circumboreal.
Habitat: Wet places, from sea level to alpine.
Origin: Native
Growth Duration: Perennial
Conservation Status: Not of concern
Stems evergreen, perennial, from black, smooth rhizomes, all alike, ascending or erect, 1-3 dm. tall and 1-2 mm. thick, branched near the base; stems 5-to 12-ridged, the ridges very shallow; stomates in 2 rows in each furrow, sunken below the level of the epidermis; central cavity 1/4 to 1/3 the diameter of the stem; sheaths 2-4 mm. long, green with black tips, the teeth with conspicuous white margins, abruptly contracted to a hair-like tip.
None.
Cones small, up to 1 cm. long, sharp pointed.
Publication: Bot. Taschenb. 60, 447. 1807.
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ssp. variegatum – variegated horsetail, northern scouring rush
Occurring chiefly east of the Cascades crest in Washington; Alaska to Oregon, east across southern Canada and the northern third of the United States to the Atlantic Coast; circumboreal.
PNW Herbaria: Specimen records of Equisetum variegatum in the Consortium of Pacific Northwest Herbaria database
WA Flora Checklist: Equisetum variegatum checklist entry
OregonFlora: Equisetum variegatum information
E-Flora BC: Equisetum variegatum atlas page
CalPhotos: Equisetum variegatum photos
