Horsetail. Practical work “Structure of fern and horsetail. Horsetails have
A green perennial plant whose size can range from a few centimeters to several meters. The stem is rigid, the leaves are modified and look like small scaly branches that are collected in bunches and evenly cover the entire stem. Due to its long rhizome (up to 1.5 meters), it survives even in the most unfavorable conditions, for which it is considered a weed in the agricultural industry. The plant occupies a special place in the botany section. It cannot be called a grass, but it is not a bush either. Therefore, he occupied his own niche - the horsetail class. And among the people, horsetail is called “broom” or “horsetail” because of its external similarity. It grows almost everywhere, with the exception of arid regions. There are several species found in Russia: riverine horsetail, forest horsetail, marsh horsetail and field horsetail. Horsetail is used in folk medicine and pharmacy.
Pharmacological properties
The most common effects of horsetail-based drugs are anti-inflammatory and diuretic. It is especially widely used for diseases of the genitourinary system, less often used as a hemostatic agent. Compresses with horsetail pulp have a wound-healing effect. Decoctions, tinctures, tea, juice help with liver tumors, kidney and stomach diseases. If you take baths with horsetail, you can restore vision; this plant also helps with viral conjunctivitis.
Indications for use
First of all, horsetail is recommended for use for various types of edema, acute inflammation of the liver, urolithiasis, urinary incontinence, and inflammation of the kidneys. Medicines based on horsetail are used for atherosclerosis, hemorrhoids, gout, rheumatism, dropsy, lung diseases (including tuberculosis), internal bleeding, skin rashes, ulcers, purulent wounds, and inflammation of the oral cavity. This or that disease determines internal or external use. Horsetail-based dietary supplements are recommended as a prophylactic and auxiliary to general therapy.
Contraindications
Horsetail has a very strong diuretic effect and can therefore irritate the kidneys. It should not be used for acute nephritis and nephrosis (acute kidney inflammation). Under no circumstances should horsetail be consumed by pregnant or breastfeeding women. In any case, it is not recommended to self-medicate, since for various chronic diseases or individual characteristics of the body, the use of horsetail can be harmful. Before use, consult a doctor.
Side effects
Allergies, kidney irritation.
Ferns are a large group of higher plants. The pteridophytes include three divisions: ferns, horsetails and lycophytes.
Ferns are very diverse in appearance, but they all have vegetative organs - root, shoot (stem and leaves) and reproduce by spores. The fern never blooms, it is just a poetic fantasy. Fern leaves grow at the top. Young leaves that have not fully blossomed are twisted in a snail-like manner.
Horsetails are perennial herbaceous rhizomatous plants that look like small Christmas trees. Both the leaves and lateral shoots of horsetails are located in whorls.
Fern structure
What to do. Consider the spore-bearing fern plant. Sketch its appearance and label the parts of the plant.
What to do. On the lower surface of the fern leaf, find brown tubercles; they contain sporangia with spores.
What to watch. Examine the sporangia under a microscope.
Prepare for the report. Drawings: the external structure of a fern and the accumulation of sori under a microscope. Answer the questions: what is the root system of a fern? How do leaves grow? Justify that ferns belong to higher spore plants.
The structure of horsetails
What to do. Consider the external structure of the spring shoot of horsetail. Find the rhizome, root, stem, membranous (scale-like) leaves. At the top of the shoot, look at the spore-bearing spikelet.
What to do. Consider the summer growth of horsetail. Locate the rhizome, stem and whorls of leaves located on the side shoots.
The shoots of horsetails have a segmented structure, consisting of nodes and internodes. The leaves are collected in whorls.
Equisetaceae include both herbaceous plants (living and extinct) with a stem from several centimeters to several meters, and tree-like plants (only extinct), reaching 15 m and a diameter of more than 0.5 m.
The conducting system of the stem of horsetails is the actinostele or arthrostele. Most horsetails are homosporous plants, and only a few fossil forms were heterosporous.
The horsetail division unites two classes: wedge-leaved (Sphenophyllopsida) And horsetails (Equisetopsida).
Previously included in the class Hyeniaceae with representatives protohyenia (Protohyenia), hyenia (Hyenia, rice. 25 ) And Calamophyton (Colamophyton) are currently considered by paleobotanists to be the oldest cladoxylic ferns. In Kalamaphyton, the previously described jointed shoot nodes turned out to be simply transverse cracks in the rock. The anatomical structure of the hyena is still unknown, and the spore-bearing organs of both species rarely differ from the sporangiophores of Devonian horsetails (Meyen: Elenevsky et al. 2000).
CLASS EQUISETOPSIDA
The class Equisetaceae contains the order horsetails (Equisetales), families Calamitaceae (Calamitaceae) And horsetails (Equisetaceae).
Extinct representatives are united in the calamite family. Species of this family were widespread in the Carboniferous and then, together with lepidodendrons, sigillaria, ferns and cordaites, formed forests that produced coal deposits.
In appearance and structure, calamites resembled modern horsetails, but differed from them - they were trees, reaching a height of 8-10 m and even up to 20 m. Among them were both homosporous and heterosporous species.
The horsetail family includes one genus horsetail (Equisetum) and 25 species. There are 8 species of horsetail growing in the Republic of Belarus. They are found in swamps (E. palustre, E. fluviatile), in forests (E. sylvaticum), in bushes (E. hyemale), in meadows, fields (E. pratense, E. arvense), etc.
Modern horsetails are small herbaceous plants 80-100 cm tall, 2-5 mm thick. The tropical South American E. giganteum reaches 10-12 m in length and is a vine.
Horsetail consists of a rhizome located horizontally in the soil, from the nodes of which thin roots extend and above-ground shoots rise upward.
The stem of horsetail is segmented, ribbed, and consists of nodes and internodes. The internodes are hollow in the middle, the nodes are filled with parenchymal tissue.
The leaves of horsetails are scale-like, brown, devoid of chlorophyll, fused at the bottom into a tubular sheath attached to a node. Due to the reduction of leaves, the function of assimilation is performed by green shoots and stems. The branches are arranged in whorls, piercing the sheath of fused leaves.
In a cross section, the stem has the following structure. The outside of the stem is uneven, there are elevated areas (ribs) alternating with hollows. The outside of the stem is covered with a single-layer epidermis impregnated with silica, which gives it strength. Inside the epidermis there is a cortex and a ring of small, isolated conductive bundles of the collateral type with carinal (from the Latin carina - keel, ridge) canals. In the center of the stem there is a cavity at the site of destruction of the core. Under the ribs there are areas of mechanical tissue, and under the hollows there are assimilation tissue and vallecular (from the Latin vallis - valley, hollow) cavities. Under the mechanical tissue (under the ribs) there are vascular bundles of the collateral type, closed, without a cambium. In the epidermis, above the assimilation tissue, there are stomata.
Sporiferous spikelets of horsetails appear one at a time at the top of the main shoot, and sometimes on the lateral branches. In most species, the spore-bearing shoot is green. Aboveground shoots in some species can combine two functions - spore-bearing and vegetative. Yes, y horsetail (E. palustre) And riverside, or melted (E. fluviatila), vegetative and spore-bearing shoots arise simultaneously and do not differ morphologically from each other. Only in mid-summer do strobili form on some green shoots. In other species, separation of shoot functions is observed. Yes, y horsetail (E. silvaticum) And horsetail (E. pratense) in spring, simultaneously with vegetative shoots, non-branching, colorless or pinkish spore-bearing shoots develop. But after sporulation they turn green, branch and do not differ from vegetative shoots. In some species, shoot dimorphy is very clearly manifested.
Horsetail has two types of shoots. In the spring, brown, spore-bearing shoots grow from the rhizome, bearing one spikelet. The horsetail spikelet consists of numerous sporangiophores collected in whorls on its axis. Sporangiophores consist of a stalk and a corymbose hexagonal disc. On the underside of the disc, around the stalk, there are 5-13 sac-like sporangia. A large number of identical spores are formed in sporangia (unisporous). The spore has three shells: endosporium, exosporium and the outer layer of the shell, which cracks when ripe to form two hygroscopic ribbons around the spore, called hapter, which are attached to the spore in the center. In dry weather, they unwind like springs and help loosen the spores. In this case, the hapters of neighboring spores cling to each other. As a result, loose lumps of spores spill out from the sporangia and are easily carried by the wind. The growth of horsetail looks like a green plate, and in thickened crops or in water it looks like a green thread. The single-layer plate, growing, turns into a multilayered outstretched cushion with rhizoids on the underside. On the upper side of the pillow, vertical lamellar blades develop, on which the genital organs are formed. The size of gametophytes in different species varies from 1 mm to 2-3 cm. Within a species, male gametophytes are smaller than female ones.
Some species of horsetail are physiologically heterosporous.
In the best conditions of moisture and lighting, larger shoots (female) develop from the spores; in worse conditions, small shoots (male) develop.
The antheridia of horsetails are immersed in the tissue of the growth. Up to 100 multiflagellate sperm develop in them. Archegonia with a neck rise above the thallus. Fertilization occurs in damp weather. The embryo does not form a suspension and consists of a stalk, 2-3 leaves and a root.
After the spores fall out of the spicate strobium of horsetail, the spore-bearing shoot dies. New green, highly branched summer shoots grow from the rhizome.
The practical value of horsetails is small. The stems contain silica and are therefore used for cleaning metal utensils and polishing wood. The nodules on the rhizome of horsetail are sometimes eaten (contain starch). Some of the horsetails (field horsetail, meadow horsetail) are weeds. Some are poisonous (horsetail).
Rare relict species are included in the Red Book of the Republic of Belarus - horsetail (Equisetum telmateia) And variegated horsetail (E. variegatum).
Horsetail or Horsetail(lat. Equisetum arvense) - a species of perennial herbaceous plants of the genus Horsetail, family Horsetail ( Equisetaceae). Translated from Latin, the name of this plant means “horse tail”, due to its external similarities. Linguists of Russian philology also noticed similarities between “horsetail” and the word “tail”. Horsetail is popularly called: horsetail, tin grass, panicle, cat's eye, pusher, mop grass. Horsetail is a harmful weed; it infests all crops in the forest-steppe and forest zones. For growth it prefers acidic and well-moistened soil. In dry conditions, horsetail moves into ravines or meadows, where it poses no threat. Horsetail is widespread throughout almost the entire territory of Eurasia (in temperate, tropical and subtropical regions), in North America, from Alaska and Canada to the southern states of the USA.
Description of horsetail
The stems of the plant are hollow, jointed, the average height is about 50 cm. At the nodes of the stems there are serrated sheaths. Horsetail produces fertile and sterile stems; they differ in appearance. The fruiting stems are not branched, succulent, reddish in color, up to 25 cm tall, they appear in early spring. The fruiting stems have one elongated spikelet at the top, which consists of corymbose leaves. These leaves are located on small stalks and carry sacs with spores. Infertile stems develop a little later; they are almost twice as tall as fertile ones, branched, hard, with ribbed sheaths. The fruitless stems are green in color and have quadrangular branches.
Due to the fact that horsetail is a flowerless plant, it reproduces by spores. Spores are extremely small, spherical formations. Spores spill out onto the soil from sacs that open in the spikelet and are carried by the wind in the form of a green powder. Each spore is equipped with hygroscopic appendages. When spores germinate, they form precursors that have either female organs with eggs or male organs with sperm. After fertilization, a new plant develops from the egg. Young horsetail forms a shoot that goes vertically into the soil, forming a rhizome, after overwintering.
In early spring, starting in March, the spores ripen and over time the fruiting stems die off.
Horsetail is able to reproduce vegetatively, thanks to underground shoots-rhizomes that produce sterile stems. The horizontal rhizome goes deep into the ground from 60 cm to several meters, depending on the soil layers. Absolutely all parts of horsetail, from rhizomes to stems, consist of joints and easily break at the boundaries of these joints. Even small scraps can give rise to new shoots.
Horsetail field control measure
In the fight against horsetail, it is necessary to resort to drying wet and damp soils by laying drainage or open ditches. In-depth plowing of the soil using liming and enrichment of the soil with mineral salts and manure will also be indispensable. If the rhizomes are located below the arable layer, all measures in the fight against horsetail should be aimed at depleting the underground parts and creating conditions unfavorable for their development. Destroying stems by weeding, mowing, peeling, and treating with chemicals (chlorates) will be very effective.
Horsetail use
Horsetail has a rich chemical composition, thanks to which this plant has a healing effect on the human body. Horsetail has a hemostatic, astringent, diuretic, wound-healing, anti-inflammatory, bactericidal, anthelmintic and tonic effect. Barren spring stems (namely horsetail grass) are used as raw materials for medicines. Raw materials must be collected in the summer, dried in natural conditions under a canopy, in the attic or in special dryers at a temperature of 40-50°C. The blanks are stored for up to four years.
Decoctions and infusions of horsetail are recommended for use for cholelithiasis, internal bleeding, and diarrhea. Decoctions are used as compresses and lotions in the treatment of conjunctivitis, boils, ulcers, dermatitis, and lichen. For pulmonary diseases, the medicinal properties of horsetail will have a healing effect. Horsetail is used for bronchitis, cough, and tuberculosis. As a mouth rinse, horsetail is recommended for gum inflammation and in the treatment of sore throats. Through a series of experiments, it was found that horsetail helps reduce sugar levels in diabetes mellitus.
To strengthen bones, teeth, hair, and nails, it is worth using medicines from horsetail. Horsetail perfectly treats acne, makes the skin smooth and elastic.
Despite all the healing properties, horsetail has contraindications for use. Horsetail should not be consumed in any form during pregnancy and lactation, or if you have kidney disease. Before starting treatment, you must consult with specialists and doctors.
The scope of application of horsetail is quite extensive. It is used to polish furniture (the powder from the stems contains a large amount of silica). Horsetail is also used to dye wool; after dyeing, the wool becomes yellow and green. In plant growing and floriculture, a decoction of horsetail is used to prevent a number of diseases of garden plants and to increase resistance to pests and fungal diseases (black spot of roses, powdery mildew, rust, mites). The prepared decoction retains its healing properties for two weeks.
Horsetail photo
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Equisetaceae are characterized by the presence of shoots consisting of clearly defined segments (internodes) and nodes with whorled leaves. Equisetaceae include herbaceous plants with stems ranging from several centimeters to several meters in length. Tree-like forms that reached a height of 15 m and a diameter of more than 0.5 m became extinct.
Higher spore plants are the first terrestrial plants that live in moist places, often under the forest canopy, or in swamps, or in fields with acidic soils. Tree ferns, horsetails and clubmosses, which dominated in the Paleozoic, are now represented by herbs, with the exception of tropical tree ferns. Mosses have changed little during this period, since they occupy only their characteristic wet habitats. These plants require water to reproduce, since their gametes - sperm - are transferred to the eggs only in dripping liquid water, and the shoots can only grow in moist soil. Life in difficult land conditions led to selection for such adaptive characters as the formation of vegetative organs (root, stem, leaf), reproductive organs (archegonia, antheridia, sporangia), as well as tissues. In the food chains of past geological eras, higher spore plants occupied a leading place: they served as food for herbivorous amphibians and reptiles. Currently, their role as forage plants has noticeably decreased, but their importance in nature remains: they retain water in the soil, create conditions for the preservation and germination of seeds of gymnosperms and angiosperms, and provide a habitat for animals. In the human economy, the role of ancient tree-like forms is great, providing deposits of coal, which, like peat, serves not only as fuel, but also as a valuable chemical raw material. Among this group of plants, only horsetail is a difficult-to-eradicate weed in fields with high soil acidity. Higher spores are living fossils that have survived to this day, so they must be preserved and protected. The Red Book of the USSR includes 32 species of mosses and 6 species of ferns; The Red Book of the RSFSR contains 22 species of mosses, 10 species of ferns and 4 species of mosses. |
A characteristic feature of horsetails is the presence of peculiar sporangium-bearing structures - sporangiophores. The vast majority of horsetails are homosporous plants.
Reproduction
The sexual generation is the gametophyte (prothallus). Antheridia and archegonia are formed on gametophytes. Multiflagellate sperm develop in antheridia, and eggs develop in archegonia. Fertilization occurs in the presence of drip-liquid water, and a sporophyte grows from the zygote without a rest period.
Classification
Of the horsetails, there is now one class of horsetails (or equisetopsids). Of the horsetail family, the most common genus is horsetail. Horsetails often make up a significant percentage of grasslands in meadows and wetlands; common in acidic soil. The genus includes about 30 species; In our country, 4 are common, in Ukraine - 9. Most often, we have horsetail, meadow horsetail, marsh horsetail, marsh horsetail and forest horsetail.
Horsetail
A herbaceous plant with annual above-ground shoots. A small number of species are evergreen. The size of horsetail stems varies greatly: there are dwarf plants with a stem 5-15 cm high and a diameter of 0.5-1 mm and plants with a stem several meters long (in the polychaete horsetail the stem reaches a length of 9 m). Tropical forest horsetails reach a height of 12 m. The underground part is a rhizome, creeping, branched, in which nutrients can be deposited (tubers are formed) and which serves as an organ of vegetative propagation. Aboveground shoots grow at the top. Summer shoots are vegetative, branched, assimilating, consist of segments, with well-developed internodes. Whorled and also dissected branches branch off from the nodes. The leaves are inconspicuous and grow together into toothed sheaths that cover the lower part of the internode. Silica is often deposited in the epidermal cells of the stem, so horsetails are a poor food.
Spring shoots are spore-bearing, non-assimilating, unbranched, and spore-bearing spikelets are formed at their apex. After the spores mature, the shoots die. The spores are spherical, with four springy ribbons, greenish, germinate into shoots, unisexual - male or female. There are cases when antheridia and archegonia appear on the same prothallus. From the fertilized egg, a pre-adult grows, and then an adult horsetail.
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