Andean Horsetail

Andean Horsetail (Equisetum bogotense) is a herbaceous perennial horsetail that reproduces by spores rather than seeds. It has thicker, less bushy whorled branches than most horsetails, growing from a silica rich, dark brown rhizomatous stem. It has a history as a traditional herbal remedy, and a study of its diuretic effects on humans found significant increases in urinary sodium, potassium and chloride. Genetic evidence suggests it is the most isolated species in its genus, having split from all other living Equisetum no later than the Early Jurassic, roughly 170 million years ago.