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Field Horsetail


Field Horsetail
Photo Information
Copyright: bob cat (bobcat08) Gold Star Critiquer/Silver Workshop Editor/Gold Note Writer [C: 365 W: 19 N: 361] (1431)
Genre: Plants
Medium: Color
Date Taken: 2008-04-21
Categories: Flowers
Camera: Canon G5
Exposure: f/4.5, 1/320 seconds
More Photo Info: [view]
Photo Version: Original Version, Workshop
Date Submitted: 2008-06-03 5:41
Viewed: 5472
Points: 32
[Note Guidelines] Photographer's Note [Dutch]
I make this photo in april 2008 in The Vlietlanden. A place of nature beauty nearby Vlaardingen in the SW part of Holland. I had never rather seen this plant. So it was a surprise. Right on the picture is still just a young implementation of this plant. The photo is handheld made. Cropped a bit and blow up the contrast with +3. I hope you
like it.

Today 2008-06-09. One of my fellow volunteers by Naturemonuments showed me a fossil of the Equisetum arvense. Can you consider how old this species is. He has found this fossil in Nova Scotia.

Gert Paasen has also made a photo of this plant. He has attached an interesting note. See:http://www.treknature.com/gallery/Europe/Netherlands/photo166936.htm

Latin name Equisetum arvense
Field Horsetail

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Equisetum arvense
Scientific classification
Kingdom: Plantae
Division: Pteridophyta
Class: Equisetopsida
Order: Equisetales
Family: Equisetaceae
Genus: Equisetum
Species: E. arvense

Binomial name
Equisetum arvense
Linnaeus, 1753

The Field Horsetail (Equisetum arvense) is a rather bushy perennial with a rhizomatous stem formation native to the northern hemisphere. These horsetails may have sterile or fertile stems. Sterile stems start to grow after the fertile stems have wilted. The sterile stems tend to be much taller and bushier, with the jointed segments being around one inch long with a diameter of about 1/20th of an inch. These segments contain one set of whorled, slender, erect branches each. Some stems can have as many as 20 segments and be as tall as 2-24 inches. The fertile stems tend to be half as tall as the sterile stems and also tend to be more succulent.

This plant also has a very high diploid number - 216 (108 pairs of chromosomes) - which is roughly 5 times bigger then human diploid number (46).

Uses
The plant contains several chemicals which can be used medicinally. It is rich in the minerals silicon (10%), potassium, and calcium, which gives it diuretic properties. It is prescribed to care for conjunctive tissues (cartilage, tendons, and bones) and also polyps, epistasis, and bleeding. The buds are eaten as a vegetable in Japan in spring time.

It was also once used to polish pewter and wood (gaining the name pewterwort) and to strengthen fingernails. Also as an abrasive: it was used by Hurdy-Gurdy players to dress the wheels of their instruments by removing resin build up. (Ref: La Vielleuse Habile, Jean-Francois Bouin, 1761, page 19.)

In herbalism it is used to treat kidney and bladder problems, gastro-enteritis, and prostate and urinary infections. Externally it is used for chilblains and wounds.
gracious, jusninasirun, yasin, marhowie, LordPotty, Argus, dkaved, mariki has marked this note useful
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Discussions
ThreadThread Starter Messages Updated
To uleko: thanksbobcat08 1 07-06 10:41
To mariki: thank you very muchbobcat08 1 06-30 11:10
To dkaved: I try to do a WSbobcat08 1 06-12 02:30
To arfer: thank youbobcat08 1 06-09 12:25
To Janice: this is a very old speciesbobcat08 1 06-09 12:22
To Argus: thanksbobcat08 1 06-07 00:16
To LordPotty: thanksbobcat08 2 06-06 17:26
To marhowie: have a nice weekendbobcat08 1 06-05 23:57
To yasin: prima kassibobcat08 2 06-05 20:57
To PeterZ: plantbobcat08 2 06-05 12:20
To CatherineD: a bientot et mercibobcat08 1 06-05 01:40
To jusninasirun: thanksbobcat08 1 06-05 01:37
To fragman: thank youbobcat08 1 06-05 01:36
To Gert-Paassen: dank je welbobcat08 3 06-04 13:20
To PaulH: thanksbobcat08 1 06-03 07:08
To gracious: goodevening my friendbobcat08 1 06-03 06:16
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Critiques [Translate]

Hello my dear friend Bob,
Good morning from NZ!
How are are!
delighted to see this beautiful posting of Field horsetail in a good size to view and enjoy the closeness of it!
the exposure and focus is spot on with great details also in the best dof!
many thanks for the sharing
take care and my best regards
Tony

  • Great 
  • PaulH Gold Star Critiquer/Silver Workshop Editor/Gold Note Writer [C: 1137 W: 26 N: 3879] (13882)
  • [2008-06-03 6:18]
  • [+]

Hi Bob,
excellent detail and very well composed image, colours are well saturated and your DOF is just right to isolate this Field Horsetail but leaving the background enough in focus to retain enough detail - very well done!
Paul

Hallo Bob,

Dit is volgens mij een andere soort dan ik heb gepost, bij mij waren de hoeven te zien.
Wel mooie kleuren en scherpe opnamen.
Dof is ook goed al zou dat iets minder kunnen.
Ik ga ook nofg even door met mooie bloemen.

groet Gert

very nice close up, TFS Ori

Hello Bob,
Unusual shot of this Field Horsetail, with a great POV and beautiful colours. The inclusion of a blue sky is a very nice bonus to the photo. Good night,
Catherine

Hello Bob. This is stunning with super sharp and detail. Brilliant perspective with blurry green and blue sky. Thanks for sharing and have a nice day. Jusni

  • Great 
  • yasin Silver Star Critiquer/Silver Note Writer [C: 31 W: 1 N: 43] (129)
  • [2008-06-03 20:35]
  • [+]

Selamat pagi Bob,
Excellent close up, very good DOF and contrast through the blue sky.
Terima kasih for sharing

Salaam dari Indonesia

Yasin

Hallo Bob,
Prachtige opname van deze paddestoel. De kleuren zijn inderdaad erg mooi en contrastrijk. Uitstekende details. Vanuit een erg goed laag standpunt genomen.
Groet,
Peter

Hi Bob,
Great detail/DOF, color, and exposure under bright & sunny conditions. Well contrasted and I like the BG here also :)
Excellent supporting note,
Well done & TFS!
Howard

Hi Bob,
We have a plant called Horsetail here too,but it looks a bit different to this.
It is a reed like plant with dark green hollow tube like stems with dark bands around at intervals.
Apparently,it is a very ancient type of plant. Is this the same plant ?
Your note on this one is very interesting.
Cheers
Steve

  • Great 
  • Argus Gold Star Critiquer/Gold Star Workshop Editor/Gold Note Writer [C: 5038 W: 260 N: 15594] (50626)
  • [2008-06-06 11:56]
  • [+]

Hello Bob,
A fine capture of the reproductive part of a Field Horsetail, shown with excellent sharpness against an OOF natural BG that is clear enough to show the habitat but blurred enough to let the Horsetail stand out. Excellent composition and lighting too.
TFS this fine image,
Best wishes, Ivan

I don't know of this plant. It is quite strange - I first thought it must be a type of mushroom.Good close-up of it Bob
Janice

  • Great 
  • arfer Gold Star Critiquer [C: 2731 W: 0 N: 0] (0)
  • [2008-06-09 10:07]
  • [+]

Hello Bob

I think the pov is very good giving an up close and personal look at this one.
I like the strip of blue sky at the top,it really brightens up the shot.
Excellent focus and sharpness really show off the details.
TFS
Rob

Hi Bob,
An interesting plant indeed and I don't think I have seen something similar.I like its intricate pattern and its texture is well felt in the image.Caught in nice bright light and good DOF.
Regards, David

Hello Bob,

Very nice picture of this Horsetail. Excellent sharpness. Excellent composition with the grasses and the wonderful blue sky in the background.
Cheers,
Mariki

  • Great 
  • uleko Gold Star Critiquer/Gold Star Workshop Editor/Gold Note Writer [C: 3396 W: 172 N: 3310] (10940)
  • [2008-07-06 10:29]
  • [+]

Hello Bob,
What a splendid close-up of the Field Horsetail showing interesting details. Beautiful colours too and a nice composition. Very interesting note too!
TFS and best wishes, Ulla

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