fräkenväxter

Fräkenväxter is a Swedish term that generally refers to plants belonging to the order Equisetales, commonly known as horsetails. These plants are ancient, with fossil records dating back over 300 million years. They are characterized by their jointed, hollow stems, often with whorls of scale-like leaves at the nodes. Horsetails are found in damp, shaded habitats across much of the world, typically growing in soil or sandy areas.

There is only one living family within the Equisetales, the Equisetaceae, which contains a single genus, Equisetum. This genus includes around 15 species. Some common examples found in Sweden include the field horsetail (Equisetum arvense), which has separate fertile and sterile stems, and the common horsetail (Equisetum hyemale), which has unbranched, evergreen stems.

Historically, some species of horsetails have been used in traditional medicine and as a source of silica, which gives their stems a rough texture. The term fräkenväxter can sometimes be used colloquially to refer to other plants with a similar appearance, but botanically, it specifically denotes the horsetails. Their unique structure and ancient lineage make them a fascinating group of plants for botanists and nature enthusiasts alike.