FLORA OF ICELAND elements: Equisetum pratense, Shady Horsetail, Vallelfting

Equisetum pratense; The Shady Horsetail is another common branched horsetail on Iceland. Like the field horsetail it grows in most regions of Iceland on relative dry land. Contrary to the field horsetail it does not grow much in disturbed areas but is to be found in woodlands/forests, scrubs and grasslands. The fertile leaves are at first pale and unbranched. The shady horsetail has horizontally side branches first, later bending downwards where in the field horsetail the side branches are pointed upwards. The terminal sporangial cone ripens in summer after which lateral stems form and the branch turns green. The Icelandic name is Vallelfting.