Equisetum ramosissimum Desf.
subsp. ramosissimum

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Equisetum ramosissimum subsp. ramosissimum

Photo: Petra Ballings
Greystone Park Nature Reserve, Harare.

Equisetum ramosissimum subsp. ramosissimum

Photo: Petra Ballings
Greystone Park Nature Reserve, Harare.

Equisetum ramosissimum subsp. ramosissimum

Photo: Petra Ballings
Uzumba C.L., Nyaganda school area

Equisetum ramosissimum subsp. ramosissimum

Photo: Bart Wursten
River below Cloud Pool, Gorongosa National Park, Cheringoma

Equisetum ramosissimum subsp. ramosissimum

Photo: Bart Wursten
River below Cloud Pool, Gorongosa National Park, Cheringoma

Equisetum ramosissimum subsp. ramosissimum

Photo: Bart Wursten
River below Cloud Pool, Gorongosa National Park, Cheringoma

Equisetum ramosissimum subsp. ramosissimum

Photo: Bart Wursten
River below Cloud Pool, Gorongosa National Park, Cheringoma

Equisetum ramosissimum subsp. ramosissimum

Photo: Bart Wursten
River below Cloud Pool, Gorongosa National Park, Cheringoma

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Species details: Click on each item to see an explanation of that item (Note: opens a new window)

Synonyms: Equisetum burchellii Vaucher
Equisetum thunbergii Wikstr.
Common names:
Frequency:
Status:
Description:
Subterranean stem black, up to 5 mm in diameter, usually vertical and deeply buried, branching into horizontal stems, all rooting at the nodes and bearing aerial stems at intervals. Aerial stem hollow, longitudinally ribbed, erect, c. 0.5-1(2) m tall, with up to 16 thinner branches arranged in whorls at the nodes. Leaves scale-like, up to 10 mm, narrowly lanceolate with a single vein, often shiny-black with pale translucent margins, 1 per stemrib; 12-16 leaves united for most of their length but with free black acuminate teeth and forming a whorled sheath above each node. Strobili borne terminally on the main stem, oblong, 23 × 8 mm, with a blunt conical apex.
Type location:
Tunesia
Notes:
Derivation of specific name: ramosissimum: much branched, referring to the numerous whorls of branches that this fern has at each node.
Habitat:
Altitude range: (metres)
Worldwide distribution: Widespread in Africa, Madagascan region, Macaronesia, southern and central Europe, Asia (except Malaysia), south and central America.
National distribution:
Growth form(s): Lithophyte, terrestrial.
Endemic status:
Red data list status:
Insects associated with this species:
Spot characters: Display spot characters for this species
Literature:

Burrows, J.E. (1990). Southern African Ferns and Fern Allies. Frandsen, Sandton. Pages 37 - 38. (Includes a picture).

Burrows, J.E. & Burrows, S.M. (1993). An annotated check-list of the pteridophytes of Malawi Kirkia 14(1) Page 81. As Equisetum ramosissimum

Burrows, J.E. & Willis, C.K. (eds) (2005). Plants of the Nyika Plateau Southern African Botanical Diversity Network Report No. 31 SABONET, Pretoria Page 31. as Equisetum ramosissimum (Includes a picture).

Chapano, C. & Mugarisanwa, N.H. (2003). Plants of the Matobo District National Herbarium and Botanic Garden, Zimbabwe Page 15. As Equisetum ramosissimum

Crouch, N.R., Klopper, R.R., Burrows, J.E. & Burrows, S.M. (2011). Ferns of Southern Africa, A comprehensive guide Struik Nature Pages 134 - 135. (Includes a picture).

Da Silva, M.C., Izidine, S. & Amude, A.B. (2004). A preliminary checklist of the vascular plants of Mozambique. Southern African Botanical Diversity Network Report No. 30 Sabonet, Pretoria Page 11.

Germishuizen, G. & Meyer, N.L. (eds) (2003). Plants of southern Africa: an annotated checklist. Strelitzia 14 Page 72.

Jacobsen, W.B.G. (1983). The Ferns and Fern Allies of Southern Africa. Butterworths, Durban and Pretoria. Pages 158 - 159. (Includes a picture).

Kornas, J. (1979). Distribution and ecology of the Pteridophytes in Zambia Polska Akademia Nauk Wydzial II Nauk Biologicznych Pages 35 - 36.

Mapaura, A. & Timberlake, J. (eds) (2004). A checklist of Zimbabwean vascular plants Southern African Botanical Diversity Network Report No. 33 Sabonet, Pretoria and Harare Page 6.

Ntore, S. & al. (2024). Checklist of the vascular plants of Burundi Page 31.

Roux, J.P. (2001). Conspectus of Southern African Pteridophyta. Southern African Botanical Diversity Network Report 13 Pages 17 - 18.

Roux, J.P. (2009). Synopsis of the Lycopodiophyta and Pteridophyta of Africa, Madagascar and neighbouring islands Pages 29 - 30.

Schelpe, E.A.C.L.E. (1970). Pteridophyta Flora Zambesiaca Pages 32 - 34. (Includes a picture).

Setshogo, M.P. (2005). Preliminary checklist of the plants of Botswana. Sabonet Report no. 37. Sabonet, Pretoria and Gaborone Page 15. as Equisetum ramosissimum


Other sources of information about Equisetum ramosissimum subsp. ramosissimum:

Our websites:

Flora of Burundi: Equisetum ramosissimum subsp. ramosissimum
Flora of the DRC: Equisetum ramosissimum subsp. ramosissimum
Flora of Malawi: Equisetum ramosissimum subsp. ramosissimum
Flora of Mozambique: Equisetum ramosissimum subsp. ramosissimum
Flora of Rwanda: Equisetum ramosissimum subsp. ramosissimum
Flora of Zambia: Equisetum ramosissimum subsp. ramosissimum
Flora of Zimbabwe: Equisetum ramosissimum subsp. ramosissimum

External websites:

African Plants: A Photo Guide (Senckenberg): Equisetum ramosissimum
African Plant Database: Equisetum ramosissimum
BHL (Biodiversity Heritage Library): Equisetum ramosissimum
EOL (Encyclopedia of Life): Equisetum ramosissimum
GBIF (Global Biodiversity Information Facility): Equisetum ramosissimum
Google: Web - Images - Scholar
iNaturalist: Equisetum ramosissimum
IPNI (International Plant Names Index): Equisetum ramosissimum
JSTOR Plant Science: Equisetum ramosissimum
Mansfeld World Database of Agricultural and Horticultural Crops: Equisetum ramosissimum
Plants of the World Online: Equisetum ramosissimum
Tropicos: Equisetum ramosissimum
Wikipedia: Equisetum ramosissimum


Copyright: Mark Hyde, Bart Wursten, Petra Ballings and Meg Coates Palgrave, 2014-25

Hyde, M.A., Wursten, B.T., Ballings, P. & Coates Palgrave, M. (2025). Flora of Botswana: Species information: Equisetum ramosissimum subsp. ramosissimum.
https://www.botswanaflora.com/speciesdata/species.php?species_id=100210, retrieved 31 March 2025

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