equisetum Meaning, Definition & Usage

  1. noun horsetails; coextensive with the family Equisetaceae
    genus Equisetum.

WordNet

Eq`ui*se"tum noun
Etymology
L., the horsetail, fr. equus horse + seta a thick,, stiff hair, bristle.
Wordforms
plural Equiseta
Definitions
  1. (Bot.) A genus of vascular, cryptogamic, herbaceous plants; -- also called horsetails. ✍ The Equiseta have hollow jointed stems and no true leaves. The cuticle often contains siliceous granules, so that one species (E. hyemale) is used for scouring and polishing, under the name of Dutch rush or scouring rush.

Webster 1913