Taxon: Equisetum ramosissimum Desf.

Summary

Genus:

Equisetum

Family:

Equisetaceae

Nomen number:

409918

Place of publication:

Fl. atlant. 2:398. 1799

Verified:

02/06/1998 ARS Systematic Botanists.

Accessions:

0 (0 active, 0 available) in National Plant Germplasm System.

Other conspecific taxa

Equisetum ramosissimum Desf. subsp. debile (Roxb. ex Vaucher) Hauke (0 active accession[s])
Equisetum ramosissimum Desf. subsp. ramosissimum (0 active accession[s])

Autonyms (not in current use), synonyms and invalid designations

No images

Conservation Status

Reference(s)

Arnold, T. H. & B. C. De Wet, eds. 1993. Plants of southern Africa: names and distribution. Mem. Bot. Surv. S. Africa no. 62
Baker, J. G. 1877. Flora of Mauritius and the Seychelles.
Botanical Society of the British Isles. BSBI taxon database (on-line resource).
Boulos, L. 1995. Flora of Egypt checklist.
Carrisso, L. W. et al., eds. 1937-. Conspectus florae angolensis.
Davis, P. H., ed. 1965-1988. Flora of Turkey and the east Aegean islands.
Euro+Med Editorial Committee. Euro+Med Plantbase: the information resource for Euro-Mediterranean plant diversity (on-line resource).
Exell, A. W. et al., eds. 1960-. Flora zambesiaca.
FNA Editorial Committee. 1993-. Flora of North America.
France, F. M., ed. 2021. Ethnobotany of the mountain regions of Soueast Asia Springer Nature, Switzerland. 1:391-399.
Greuter, W. et al., eds. 1984-. Med-Checklist.
Iwatsuki, K. et al. 1993-. Flora of Japan.
Jalas, J. & J. Suominen. 1972-. Atlas florae europaeae.
Johns, R. J. 1991. Pteridophytes of Tropical East Africa
Kellerman, T. S. et al. 1988. Plant poisonings and mycotoxicoses of livestock in Southern Africa
Kitagawa, M. 1979. Neo-lineamenta florae Manshuricae.
Komarov, V. L. et al., eds. 1934-1964. Flora SSSR.
Missouri Botanical Garden. Flora of China Checklist (on-line resource).
Mouterde, P. 1966-. Nouvelle flore du Liban et de la Syrie.
Quézel, P. & S. Santa. 1962-1963. Nouvelle flore de l'Algerie.
Skvortsov, A. K., ed. 2006. Flora of the Lower Volga region 1:50.
Thulin, M., ed. 1993-. Flora of Somalia.
Tutin, T. G. et al., eds. 1993. Flora europaea, ed. 2.

Common names

Language	Name	Alternate name	note	seq	Citation
English	branched horsetail			1	Botanical Society of the British Isles. BSBI taxon database (on-line resource).

Distribution

order_code	Status	Continent	Subcontinent	Country	State	Note	Reference
1	Native	Africa	East Tropical Africa	Kenya
1	Native	Africa	East Tropical Africa	Tanzania
1	Native	Africa	East Tropical Africa	Uganda
1	Native	Africa	Northeast Tropical Africa	Ethiopia
1	Native	Africa	Northeast Tropical Africa	Somalia			Thulin, M., ed. 1993-. Flora of Somalia.
1	Native	Africa	Northern Africa	Algeria			Greuter, W. et al., eds. 1984-. Med-Checklist.
1	Native	Africa	Northern Africa	Egypt			Greuter, W. et al., eds. 1984-. Med-Checklist.
1	Native	Africa	Northern Africa	Libya			Greuter, W. et al., eds. 1984-. Med-Checklist.
1	Native	Africa	Northern Africa	Morocco			Greuter, W. et al., eds. 1984-. Med-Checklist.
1	Native	Africa	Northern Africa	Tunisia			Greuter, W. et al., eds. 1984-. Med-Checklist.
1	Native	Africa	South Tropical Africa	Angola
1	Native	Africa	South Tropical Africa	Malawi			Exell, A. W. et al., eds. 1960-. Flora zambesiaca.
1	Native	Africa	South Tropical Africa	Mozambique			Exell, A. W. et al., eds. 1960-. Flora zambesiaca.
1	Native	Africa	South Tropical Africa	Zambia			Exell, A. W. et al., eds. 1960-. Flora zambesiaca.
1	Native	Africa	South Tropical Africa	Zimbabwe			Exell, A. W. et al., eds. 1960-. Flora zambesiaca.
1	Native	Africa	Southern Africa	Eswatini			Arnold, T. H. & B. C. De Wet, eds. 1993. Plants of southern Africa: names and distribution. Mem. Bot. Surv. S. Africa no. 62
1	Native	Africa	Southern Africa	Lesotho			Arnold, T. H. & B. C. De Wet, eds. 1993. Plants of southern Africa: names and distribution. Mem. Bot. Surv. S. Africa no. 62
1	Native	Africa	Southern Africa	Namibia			Arnold, T. H. & B. C. De Wet, eds. 1993. Plants of southern Africa: names and distribution. Mem. Bot. Surv. S. Africa no. 62
1	Native	Africa	Southern Africa	South Africa	Cape Province		Arnold, T. H. & B. C. De Wet, eds. 1993. Plants of southern Africa: names and distribution. Mem. Bot. Surv. S. Africa no. 62
1	Native	Africa	Southern Africa	South Africa	Free State		Arnold, T. H. & B. C. De Wet, eds. 1993. Plants of southern Africa: names and distribution. Mem. Bot. Surv. S. Africa no. 62
1	Native	Africa	Southern Africa	South Africa	KwaZulu-Natal		Arnold, T. H. & B. C. De Wet, eds. 1993. Plants of southern Africa: names and distribution. Mem. Bot. Surv. S. Africa no. 62
1	Native	Africa	Southern Africa	South Africa	Transvaal		Arnold, T. H. & B. C. De Wet, eds. 1993. Plants of southern Africa: names and distribution. Mem. Bot. Surv. S. Africa no. 62
1	Native	Africa	Western Indian Ocean	Madagascar
1	Native	Africa	Western Indian Ocean	Mauritius
1	Native	Asia-Temperate	Caucasus	Armenia			Euro+Med Editorial Committee. Euro+Med Plantbase: the information resource for Euro-Mediterranean plant diversity (on-line resource).
1	Native	Asia-Temperate	Caucasus	Azerbaijan			Komarov, V. L. et al., eds. 1934-1964. Flora SSSR.
1	Native	Asia-Temperate	Caucasus	Georgia			Komarov, V. L. et al., eds. 1934-1964. Flora SSSR.
1	Native	Asia-Temperate	Caucasus	Russian Federation	Dagestan		Komarov, V. L. et al., eds. 1934-1964. Flora SSSR.
1	Native	Asia-Temperate	Caucasus	Russian Federation-Ciscaucasia	Ciscaucasia		Komarov, V. L. et al., eds. 1934-1964. Flora SSSR.
1	Native	Asia-Temperate	China	China	Anhui Sheng
1	Native	Asia-Temperate	China	China	Fujian Sheng
1	Native	Asia-Temperate	China	China	Gansu Sheng
1	Native	Asia-Temperate	China	China	Guangdong Sheng
1	Native	Asia-Temperate	China	China	Guangxi Zhuangzu Zizhiqu
1	Native	Asia-Temperate	China	China	Guizhou Sheng
1	Native	Asia-Temperate	China	China	Hainan Sheng
1	Native	Asia-Temperate	China	China	Hebei Sheng
1	Native	Asia-Temperate	China	China	Heilongjiang Sheng
1	Native	Asia-Temperate	China	China	Henan Sheng
1	Native	Asia-Temperate	China	China	Hubei Sheng
1	Native	Asia-Temperate	China	China	Hunan Sheng
1	Native	Asia-Temperate	China	China	Jiangsu Sheng
1	Native	Asia-Temperate	China	China	Jiangxi Sheng
1	Native	Asia-Temperate	China	China	Jilin Sheng
1	Native	Asia-Temperate	China	China	Liaoning Sheng
1	Native	Asia-Temperate	China	China	Nei Mongol Zizhiqu
1	Native	Asia-Temperate	China	China	Ningxia Huizi Zizhiqu
1	Native	Asia-Temperate	China	China	Qinghai Sheng
1	Native	Asia-Temperate	China	China	Shaanxi Sheng
1	Native	Asia-Temperate	China	China	Shandong Sheng
1	Native	Asia-Temperate	China	China	Shanxi Sheng
1	Native	Asia-Temperate	China	China	Sichuan Sheng
1	Native	Asia-Temperate	China	China	Xizang Zizhiqu
1	Native	Asia-Temperate	China	China	Yunnan Sheng
1	Native	Asia-Temperate	China	China	Zhejiang Sheng
1	Native	Asia-Temperate	Eastern Asia	Japan	Honshu		Iwatsuki, K. et al. 1993-. Flora of Japan.
1	Native	Asia-Temperate	Eastern Asia	Japan	Kyushu		Iwatsuki, K. et al. 1993-. Flora of Japan.
1	Native	Asia-Temperate	Eastern Asia	Japan	Ryukyu Islands		Iwatsuki, K. et al. 1993-. Flora of Japan.
1	Native	Asia-Temperate	Eastern Asia	Japan	Shikoku		Iwatsuki, K. et al. 1993-. Flora of Japan.
1	Native	Asia-Temperate	Eastern Asia	Korea
1	Native	Asia-Temperate	Eastern Asia	Taiwan
1	Native	Asia-Temperate	Middle Asia	Kazakhstan			Komarov, V. L. et al., eds. 1934-1964. Flora SSSR.
1	Native	Asia-Temperate	Middle Asia	Kyrgyzstan			Komarov, V. L. et al., eds. 1934-1964. Flora SSSR.
1	Native	Asia-Temperate	Middle Asia	Tajikistan			Komarov, V. L. et al., eds. 1934-1964. Flora SSSR.
1	Native	Asia-Temperate	Middle Asia	Turkmenistan			Komarov, V. L. et al., eds. 1934-1964. Flora SSSR.
1	Native	Asia-Temperate	Middle Asia	Uzbekistan			Komarov, V. L. et al., eds. 1934-1964. Flora SSSR.
1	Native	Asia-Temperate	Siberia	Russian Federation-Western Siberia	Western Siberia		Komarov, V. L. et al., eds. 1934-1964. Flora SSSR.
1	Native	Asia-Temperate	Western Asia	Cyprus			Euro+Med Editorial Committee. Euro+Med Plantbase: the information resource for Euro-Mediterranean plant diversity (on-line resource).
1	Native	Asia-Temperate	Western Asia	Egypt	Sinai		Boulos, L. 1995. Flora of Egypt checklist.
1	Native	Asia-Temperate	Western Asia	Israel			Euro+Med Editorial Committee. Euro+Med Plantbase: the information resource for Euro-Mediterranean plant diversity (on-line resource).
1	Native	Asia-Temperate	Western Asia	Jordan			Euro+Med Editorial Committee. Euro+Med Plantbase: the information resource for Euro-Mediterranean plant diversity (on-line resource).
1	Native	Asia-Temperate	Western Asia	Lebanon			Mouterde, P. 1966-. Nouvelle flore du Liban et de la Syrie.
1	Native	Asia-Temperate	Western Asia	Syria			Mouterde, P. 1966-. Nouvelle flore du Liban et de la Syrie.
1	Native	Asia-Temperate	Western Asia	Turkey			Davis, P. H., ed. 1965-1988. Flora of Turkey and the east Aegean islands.
1	Native	Asia-Tropical	Indian Subcontinent	India
1	Native	Asia-Tropical	Indian Subcontinent	Sri Lanka
1	Native	Asia-Tropical	Malesia	Philippines
1	Native	Europe	Eastern Europe	Estonia			Jalas, J. & J. Suominen. 1972-. Atlas florae europaeae.
1	Native	Europe	Eastern Europe	Latvia			Jalas, J. & J. Suominen. 1972-. Atlas florae europaeae.
1	Native	Europe	Eastern Europe	Lithuania			Jalas, J. & J. Suominen. 1972-. Atlas florae europaeae.
1	Native	Europe	Eastern Europe	Russian Federation	Astrakhan		Skvortsov, A. K., ed. 2006. Flora of the Lower Volga region 1:50.
1	Native	Europe	Eastern Europe	Russian Federation	Kalmykija, Respublika		Skvortsov, A. K., ed. 2006. Flora of the Lower Volga region 1:50.
1	Native	Europe	Eastern Europe	Russian Federation	Saratov		Skvortsov, A. K., ed. 2006. Flora of the Lower Volga region 1:50.
1	Native	Europe	Eastern Europe	Russian Federation	Volgogradskaja oblast'		Skvortsov, A. K., ed. 2006. Flora of the Lower Volga region 1:50.
1	Native	Europe	Eastern Europe	Russian Federation-European part	European part		Jalas, J. & J. Suominen. 1972-. Atlas florae europaeae.
1	Native	Europe	Eastern Europe	Ukraine		incl. Krym	Jalas, J. & J. Suominen. 1972-. Atlas florae europaeae.
1	Native	Europe	Middle Europe	Austria			Jalas, J. & J. Suominen. 1972-. Atlas florae europaeae.
1	Native	Europe	Middle Europe	Czech Republic			Euro+Med Editorial Committee. Euro+Med Plantbase: the information resource for Euro-Mediterranean plant diversity (on-line resource).
1	Native	Europe	Middle Europe	Germany			Jalas, J. & J. Suominen. 1972-. Atlas florae europaeae.
1	Native	Europe	Middle Europe	Hungary			Jalas, J. & J. Suominen. 1972-. Atlas florae europaeae.
1	Native	Europe	Middle Europe	Netherlands			Jalas, J. & J. Suominen. 1972-. Atlas florae europaeae.
1	Native	Europe	Middle Europe	Poland			Jalas, J. & J. Suominen. 1972-. Atlas florae europaeae.
1	Native	Europe	Middle Europe	Switzerland			Jalas, J. & J. Suominen. 1972-. Atlas florae europaeae.
1	Native	Europe	Southeastern Europe	Albania			Jalas, J. & J. Suominen. 1972-. Atlas florae europaeae.
1	Native	Europe	Southeastern Europe	Bosnia and Herzegovina			Euro+Med Editorial Committee. Euro+Med Plantbase: the information resource for Euro-Mediterranean plant diversity (on-line resource).
1	Native	Europe	Southeastern Europe	Bulgaria			Jalas, J. & J. Suominen. 1972-. Atlas florae europaeae.
1	Native	Europe	Southeastern Europe	Croatia			Euro+Med Editorial Committee. Euro+Med Plantbase: the information resource for Euro-Mediterranean plant diversity (on-line resource).
1	Native	Europe	Southeastern Europe	Greece		incl. Crete	Jalas, J. & J. Suominen. 1972-. Atlas florae europaeae.
1	Native	Europe	Southeastern Europe	Italy		incl. Sardinia, Sicily	Jalas, J. & J. Suominen. 1972-. Atlas florae europaeae.
1	Native	Europe	Southeastern Europe	Montenegro			Euro+Med Editorial Committee. Euro+Med Plantbase: the information resource for Euro-Mediterranean plant diversity (on-line resource).
1	Native	Europe	Southeastern Europe	Romania			Jalas, J. & J. Suominen. 1972-. Atlas florae europaeae.
1	Native	Europe	Southeastern Europe	Serbia			Euro+Med Editorial Committee. Euro+Med Plantbase: the information resource for Euro-Mediterranean plant diversity (on-line resource).
1	Native	Europe	Southeastern Europe	Slovenia			Euro+Med Editorial Committee. Euro+Med Plantbase: the information resource for Euro-Mediterranean plant diversity (on-line resource).
1	Native	Europe	Southwestern Europe	France		incl. Corsica	Jalas, J. & J. Suominen. 1972-. Atlas florae europaeae.
1	Native	Europe	Southwestern Europe	Portugal			Jalas, J. & J. Suominen. 1972-. Atlas florae europaeae.
1	Native	Europe	Southwestern Europe	Spain			Jalas, J. & J. Suominen. 1972-. Atlas florae europaeae.
4	Naturalized					natzd. elsewhere

Native
Africa

NORTHERN AFRICA: Algeria, Egypt, Libya, Morocco, Tunisia
NORTHEAST TROPICAL AFRICA: Ethiopia, Somalia
EAST TROPICAL AFRICA: Kenya, Tanzania, Uganda
SOUTH TROPICAL AFRICA: Angola, Mozambique, Malawi, Zambia, Zimbabwe
SOUTHERN AFRICA: Lesotho, Namibia, Eswatini, South Africa [Cape Province, Free State, KwaZulu-Natal, Transvaal]
WESTERN INDIAN OCEAN: Madagascar, Mauritius

Asia-Temperate

WESTERN ASIA: Cyprus, Egypt [Sinai], Israel, Jordan, Lebanon, Syria, Turkey
CAUCASUS: Russian Federation-Ciscaucasia [Ciscaucasia], Armenia, Azerbaijan, Georgia, Russian Federation [Dagestan]
SIBERIA: Russian Federation-Western Siberia [Western Siberia]
MIDDLE ASIA: Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan, Uzbekistan
CHINA: China [Anhui Sheng, Fujian Sheng, Gansu Sheng, Guangdong Sheng, Guangxi Zhuangzu Zizhiqu, Guizhou Sheng, Hainan Sheng, Hebei Sheng, Heilongjiang Sheng, Henan Sheng, Hubei Sheng, Hunan Sheng, Jiangsu Sheng, Jiangxi Sheng, Jilin Sheng, Liaoning Sheng, Nei Mongol Zizhiqu, Ningxia Huizi Zizhiqu, Qinghai Sheng, Shaanxi Sheng, Shandong Sheng, Shanxi Sheng, Sichuan Sheng, Xizang Zizhiqu, Yunnan Sheng, Zhejiang Sheng]
EASTERN ASIA: Korea, Japan [Honshu, Kyushu, Ryukyu Islands, Shikoku], Taiwan

Asia-Tropical

INDIAN SUBCONTINENT: India, Sri Lanka
MALESIA: Philippines

Europe

MIDDLE EUROPE: Austria, Switzerland, Czech Republic, Germany, Hungary, Netherlands, Poland
EASTERN EUROPE: Russian Federation-European part [European part], Estonia, Lithuania, Latvia, Russian Federation [Kalmykija, Respublika, Astrakhan, Saratov, Volgogradskaja oblast'], Ukraine (incl. Krym)
SOUTHEASTERN EUROPE: Albania, Bulgaria, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Greece (incl. Crete), Croatia, Italy (incl. Sardinia, Sicily), Montenegro, Romania, Serbia, Slovenia
SOUTHWESTERN EUROPE: Spain, France (incl. Corsica), Portugal

Naturalized (natzd. elsewhere)

Reference(s)

Arnold, T. H. & B. C. De Wet, eds. 1993. Plants of southern Africa: names and distribution. Mem. Bot. Surv. S. Africa no. 62
Boulos, L. 1995. Flora of Egypt checklist.
Davis, P. H., ed. 1965-1988. Flora of Turkey and the east Aegean islands.
Euro+Med Editorial Committee. Euro+Med Plantbase: the information resource for Euro-Mediterranean plant diversity (on-line resource).
Exell, A. W. et al., eds. 1960-. Flora zambesiaca.
Greuter, W. et al., eds. 1984-. Med-Checklist.
Iwatsuki, K. et al. 1993-. Flora of Japan.
Jalas, J. & J. Suominen. 1972-. Atlas florae europaeae.
Komarov, V. L. et al., eds. 1934-1964. Flora SSSR.
Mouterde, P. 1966-. Nouvelle flore du Liban et de la Syrie.
Skvortsov, A. K., ed. 2006. Flora of the Lower Volga region 1:50.
Thulin, M., ed. 1993-. Flora of Somalia.

Economic Uses

Usage	Type	Reference
Animal food	fodder	France, F. M., ed. 2021. Ethnobotany of the mountain regions of Soueast Asia Springer Nature, Switzerland. 1:391-399.
Human food	beverage base	France, F. M., ed. 2021. Ethnobotany of the mountain regions of Soueast Asia Springer Nature, Switzerland. 1:391-399.
Materials	abrasive	France, F. M., ed. 2021. Ethnobotany of the mountain regions of Soueast Asia Springer Nature, Switzerland. 1:391-399.
Medicines	folklore	France, F. M., ed. 2021. Ethnobotany of the mountain regions of Soueast Asia Springer Nature, Switzerland. 1:391-399.
Vertebrate poisons	mammals	Kellerman, T. S. et al. 1988. Plant poisonings and mycotoxicoses of livestock in Southern Africa

Cite as: USDA, Agricultural Research Service, National Plant Germplasm System. 2026. Germplasm Resources Information Network (GRIN Taxonomy). National Germplasm Resources Laboratory, Beltsville, Maryland.
URL: https://npgsweb.ars-grin.gov/gringlobal/taxon/taxonomydetail?id=409918. Accessed 20 October 2026.