Kinang (Common horsetail)

Equisetum arvensis (Common Horsetail)

Vernacular name: Kinang/Jinang (in Kinnauri)

Click here to watch a short video about this species

Click here to watch a short video about this species

Equisetum arvensis, commonly known as field horsetail or common horsetail (kinang or jinang in Kinnauri) is a perennial plant that commonly occurs in damp and open woodlands, pastures, arable lands, roadsides, disturbed areas, and near the edge of streams across the temperate regions of the northern Hemisphere.

Evolution of Horsetail

Field Horsetail (Equisetum arvense) is part of one of the most primitive living plant families in the world. Dating back to the Carboniferous Period (354–290 million years ago), the ancestors of horsetail were tree sized and dominated the landscape, ultimately transforming into coal deposits found today.

Propagation

Horsetail, a close relative of ferns, reproduces via spores rather than flowers. It has two distinct types of stems: (i) sterile, non-reproductive stems and (ii) fertile, spore-bearing stems, both emerging from a perennial underground rhizomatous stem system that allows the plant to grow and spread over multiple seasons.

Soil services

The deep roots of horsetail act as nutrient pumps in wetlands, transporting phosphorus, potassium, and calcium to the soil’s surface where other plants can then access them, boosting the overall vitality of the entire ecosystem.

Toxicity in humans

Horsetail is known to be toxic to humans, especially when consumed in large quantities and over prolonged periods. This is due to the thiaminase, an enzyme that breaks down thiamine (vitamin B1), that is important for muscular and skeletal functions in humans.

Uses

• Horsetail stems are high in silica (the main component in glass), making it useful for cleaning because of its abrasiveness. 

• Horticulturally, horsetail is used to make a natural fungicide for powdery mildew and blights. It is naturally rich in saponins and other organic acids that are toxic to fungi.

Fun fact

Field horsetail is tolerant to most herbicides used in fields, so any type of chemical control involving herbicides is problematic. This is because of the biology of horsetails. The high silica content in the stems and waxy coating on the plant limit herbicide absorption, and its extensive root system often results in regrowth.

References:

1. Hill, E. (2019). U.S. Department of Agriculture, National Institute of Food and Agriculture.  Dickinson, R., & Royer, F. (2014). Weeds of North America. The University of Chicago Press

2. Husby, Chad. (2013). Biology and functional ecology of Equisetum with emphasis on the giant horsetails. Botanical Review 79(2): 147–177

3. Hartzler B. (2009) Equisetum: Biology and Management.