Damigeron's Dungeon: Prestigious Plants - Ferns 01

HORSETAIL FERN

Order: Equisetales
Family: Equisetaceae
Genus: Equisetum
Names:

Horsetail
Bottlebrush
Candock
Franziz [Lingua Ignota]
Joint Grass
Mare's Tail
Paddock-Pipes
Pewterwort
Pferdeschwanz [German]
Prêle [French]
Puzzlegrass
Schachtelhalm [German]
Scouring Rush
Shave Grass
Skavgräs [Swedish]
Tin-Herb
Zinnkraut [German]

Equisetum telmateia (Equisetopsida) at Cambridge Botanic Garden.
Rror - Own work.

Distribution: Cosmopolitan

Physical Description
An incredibly ancient lineage of fern. Branched members of the genus are referred to as “candock,” and unbranched or sparsely-branched species are referred to as “scouring rush” for their use as an abrasive and superficial resemblance to rushes.

Bark Properties: Rich in silica.

Culture
Horsetail has a long history of being used as an abrasive, going back to at least ancient Sumeria. While not as effective an abrasive as modern sandpaper with its clear grades, when balled up, it doesn’t get clogged with sanded material the way sandpaper does. It was used in the sanding of wood and the polishing of metals. It was particularly good at polishing tin, hence its German name, zinnkraut (“tin-herb”).

Medical
We are not a medical blog; do not take health advice from us.

Despite being used medicinally in traditional medicine for millennia, there is little evidence that horsetail has natural medicinal properties.

Supposedly it was used as a stimulant, for weight control, skin and hair health, as well as bone health.

Poison
Contains the enzyme thiaminase, which breaks down thiamine (Vitamin B1), which can result in vitamin deficiency, making this herb toxic in large amounts, causing liver damage. Inadvisable as fodder for grazing animals for extended periods, and its effects on pregnant women has not been verified.

Food
History of consumption, with fertile stems boiled like asparagus. Can be eaten cooked or, in the case of young shoots, eaten raw. As noted above, extended consumption is dangerous.

Compiler Notes

According to Andy Duling, the high silica content in the skin of horsetail can be used for sanding, but he had difficulty doing so, and was not impressed with the results. In contrast, Cappelle says it’s quite useful, but notes that it should be cooked before drying for this purpose. Cappele balls it up, and this assists in preventing sawdust clogging.
This didn’t just sand wood, but was apparently used in the polishing of metal, from kitchen pots to armor, according to a commenter on Cappelle’s article.

Image Refs

( https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Equisetum#/media/File:Equisetopsida.jpg )

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Species: Equisetum arvense
Names:

Common Horsetail
Åkerfryle [Norwegian]
Åkerfräken [Swedish]
Benomsing [Swedish]
Branched Horsetail
Caarucu [Portuguese]
Cavi Di Prato [Italian]
Cavalinha [Portuguese]
Cola De Caballo [Spanish]
Corn Horsetail
Devil's Guts
Field Horsetail
Horse Pipe
Horsetail Fern
Kãt [Albanian]
Pewterwort
Pine Grass
Prêle Des Champs [French]
Queue De Cheval [French]
Queue De Rat [French]
Rävrumpa [Swedish]
Skäfte [Swedish]
Snakeweed
Toadpipe

Equisetum arvense foliage, Newcastle, Northumberland, UK.
MPF - Own work.

Distribution: Northern Hemisphere

Africa, Northern: Morocco
America, North: Canada (Alberta, British Columbia, Labrador, Manitoba, New Brunswick, Newfoundland, Northwest Territories, Nova Scotia, Nunavut, Ontario, Prince Edward Island, Québec, Saskatchewan, Yukon), United States (Alabama, Alaska, Arizona, Arkansas, California, Colorado, Connecticut, Delaware, District of Columbia, Georgia, Idaho, Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Kansas, Kentucky, Maine, Maryland, Massachusetts, Michigan, Minnesota, Mississippi, Missouri, Montana, Nebraska, Nevada, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New Mexico, New York, North Carolina, North Dakota, Ohio, Oklahoma, Oregon, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, South Carolina, South Dakota, Tennessee, Texas, Utah, Vermont, Virginia, Washington, West Virginia, Wisconsin, Wyoming)
Asia, Central: Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Mongolia, Tajikistan, Tibet, Turkmenistan, Uzbekistan
Asia, East: China (China North-Central, China South-Central, China Southeast, Inner Mongolia, Qinghai), Japan, Korea
Asia, Northern: Russia (Altay, Amur, Buryatiya, Central European Russia, Chita, East European Russia, Irkutsk, Kamchatka, Khabarovsk, Krasnoyarsk, Krym, Kuril Is., Magadan, North Caucasus, North European Russia, Northwest European Russia, Primorye, Sakhalin, South European Russia, Tuva, West Siberia, Yakutskiya)
Asia, South: India, Nepal, Pakistan
Asia, West: Cyprus, Iran, Iraq, Turkey
Europe, Central: Austria, Czech Republic, Germany, Hungary, Poland, Slovakia, Switzerland
Europe, Eastern: Belarus, Bulgaria, Romania, Ukraine
Europe, Northern: Denmark, Estonia, Finland, Iceland, Latvia, Lithuania, Norway, Sweden
Europe, Southern: Albania, Greece (including Crete), Italy (including Sardinia, Sicily), North Macedonia, Portugal (including Azores), Serbia, Slovenia, Spain (including Balearic Islands)
Europe, Western: Belgium, France (including Corsica), Ireland, Netherlands, England, Scotland

Biome: Arctic and Temperate environments

Physical Description
Herbaceous perennial, with separate sterile and spore-producing stems. The sterile stems are green and photosynthesize, while the fertile stems are non-photosynthetic. Fertile stems grown in early spring, and sterile stems grow after the fertile stems wilted, and persist until autumn frost.

Horsetail rhizomes may penetrate the soil down to 1.8m (6ft) in depth. This species is incredibly difficult to get rid of in part for this reason, even resisting herbicides.

Apparently this is the least toxic species of horsetail.

Culture

Sanding/Polishing
Used especially in the polishing of pewter, hence the name "pewterwort."

Music
Used to dress the wheels of hurdy-gurdies to remove resin build up.

Agriculture
Water-based extract of this plant is approved for use as a fungicide by the EU and post-Brexit UK. Also reduces the impact of excess moisture on other plants. High silica content reduces moisture impact.

Medical
We are not a medical blog; do not take health advice from us.

Despite being used medicinally in traditional medicine for millennia, there is little to no evidence that horsetail has real medicinal properties. Many of the following ideas come from traditional [Austrian folk medicine].

Supposedly horsetail ferns are:

Anti-inflammatory
Antioxidant
Antifungal (Confirmed)
Antimicrobial
Diuretic

In tea or topically in compress and back, it was and is used in the treatment of the following:

Chilblains
Gout
Kidney/UI issues
Locomotor issues
Skin disorders
Rheumatism
Wounds

Harvesting
For medicine, it is necessary to harvest the green stalks in spring or early summer while the leaves are “up.” They should be bright green to be good for this purpose. During the summer it is also possible to harvest the tops. Boiling longer extracts more silica.

Horsetail absorbs environmental toxins, so be careful where you collect your horsetail. Also mind that it is not marsh horsetail (Equisetum palustre), which is notably more toxic.

Anti-Inflammatory
This plant has many anti-inflammatory claims, which do not appear to have much scientific support. Still, assuming the claims are true, reduction in inflammation is supposed to promote stronger immune response against various pathogens. For this effect is best taken in tea or powdered supplement.

Bleeding/Wounds
This is a mild styptic, stopping bleeding. The barren stems and tops should be applied directly to the wound. Taken orally, this is thought to also treat excessive menstruation.

Joint Health
Supposedly the silica in the stalks of this plant is good for the joints and other connective tissue.

Bones
The high silica content in horsetail is supposed to promote strong bones, and is used to treat osteoperosis when used consistently.

Teeth
The high silica content in horsetail is supposed to promote strong teeth. It can be made into a tooth powder that assists with cavities and enamel repair.

Skin and Hair
The high silica content in horsetail is supposed to treat skin issues. The silica is supposed to stimulate production of collagen to reduce the effects of aging by preventing fine lines and promoting healthy hair. It can be taken internally, externally as toner or wash, or added to a topical medium such as a cream, lotion, or salve.

Diuretic
Horsetail is said a gentle diuretic, which helps rid the body of excess fluids and salts. Treats kidney and UI issues, and prevents kidney stones from developing. Taken daily orally and with bath it can treat the symptoms of UTIs.

Antimicrobial
Horsetail is claimed has anti-inflammatory, antimicrobial, and antifungal properties (only the antifungal properties are confirmed). For this reason it treats external infections in warm compress or poultice, and can be used to treat fungal infections of the foot in a daily soak or to prevent such through soaks on alternating days.

Respiratory
Inhaling the steam of horsetail tea is supposed to reduce nasal and bronchial inflammation and congestion. Supposedly this also strengthens the immune system. Also treats sore throat in a saltwater gargle when combined with lemon juice.

Cognitive Function
The antioxidants in horsetail are supposed to prevent neural degeneration, preserving cognitive function. Apelian and Davis reference anecdotal evidence (their words) that it helped treat Alzheimer’s in some patients.

Diabetes
The claim is that it helps to balance insulin levels in the body by lowering blood sugar. Apelian and Davis regard this as a short-term solution only.

Poison
While less toxic to humans than other horsetail species, it’s still dangerous to livestock as a prolonged source of feed. Apelian and Davis also say beyond thiamine deficiency, it can cause potassium deficiency, lowered blood sugar, and kidney irritation. Not for pregnant women.

Further, it can synthesize nicotine under certain conditions, and overconsumption can lead to nicotine toxicity.

Food
Rich in silicon, potassium, calcium, manganese, magnesium, phosphorus, fiber, Vitamins A, E, and C, and a host of other dietary chemicals. Buds are eaten as a vegetable in Korea and Japan. They are naturally bitter, do not eat raw. Change the water 2-3 times when boiling to reduce bitterness.

Rhizomes are edible, but hard to harvest in sufficient quantities. This makes them a starvation food.

Compiler Notes

The horsetail scours resin from hurdy-gurdies. Due to the potential symbolic density of the hurdy-gurdy (sacral origin, divine drone, cyclicality, bridge from sacral to profane, accumulation of gunk, etc.), much can be done with the horsetail in this regard.
Horsetail could be used in a regenerative capacity relative to the hurdy-gurdy, revitalizing the patient to restored faith or similar state by removing the accumulated malaise of repetition and habituation. Similarly, this could be used to break someone from a persistent hypnotic state.
The above parallels its use as a sanding material and its supposed antioxidant properties vis-à-vis neurological health. Many of the purported medical benefits could easily be framed relative to the plant’s scouring properties, if the characters perception of the world is pre-scientific.

Image Refs

( https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Equisetum_arvense#/media/File:Equisetum_arvense_foliage.jpg )

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Species: Equisetum fluviatile
Names:

Swamp Horsetail
Water Horsetail

Equisetum fluviatile

Distribution:

America, North: Canada (Alberta, British Columbia, Labrador, Manitoba, New Brunswick, Newfoundland, Northwest Territories, Nova Scotia, Nunavut, Ontario, Prince Edward Island, Québec, Saskatchewan, Yukon), United States (Alaska, Connecticut, Delaware, District of Columbia, Idaho, Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Maine, Maryland, Massachusetts, Michigan, Minnesota, Montana, Nebraska, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New York, North Dakota, Ohio, Oregon, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, South Dakota, Vermont, Virginia, Washington, West Virginia, Wisconsin, Wyoming)
Asia, Central: Kazakhstan, Mongolia, Tibet
Asia, East: China (China North-Central, China South-Central, Inner Mongolia), Japan, Korea
Asia, Northern: Russia (Altay, Amur, Buryatiya, Central European Russia, Chita, East European Russia, Irkutsk, Kamchatka, Khabarovsk, Krasnoyarsk, Krym, Kuril Is., Magadan, North Caucasus, North European Russia, Northwest European Russia, Primorye, Sakhalin, South European Russia, Tuva, West Siberia, Yakutskiya)
Asia, West: Iran, Turkey
Europe, Central: Austria, Czech Republic, Germany, Hungary, Poland, Slovakia, Switzerland
Europe, Eastern: Belarus, Bulgaria, Romania, Ukraine
Europe, Northern: Denmark, Estonia, Finland, Iceland, Latvia, Lithuania, Norway, Sweden
Europe, Southern: Albania, Greece, Italy, North Macedonia, Serbia, Slovenia, Spain
Europe, Western: Belgium, France, Ireland, Netherlands, England, Scotland

Physical Description
Grows 30-100cm (occasionally 140cm) tall with dark green stems between 2-8mm in diameter. These stems are smooth with fine ridges. It is difficult to tell apart the fertile and photosynthetic stems. Stems pull apart readily at the joints.

Culture
Used as an abrasive for scouring, sanding, and filing, as other horsetails.

Medical
We are not a medical blog; do not take health advice from us.

Used in the ancient Mediterranean to stop bleeding, treat UI issues, ulcers, and tuberculosis.

The Chinese used it to treat superficial obstructions of the eye.

Poison
As generic.

Food
Shoots harvested in the early spring can be eaten, but should not be consumed over extended periods.

According to Linnaeus, a fodder favored by reindeer. Used in Sweden to promote milk production in cows. Horses will not eat it. Waterfowl are known to eat the rootstock.

Compiler Notes

Chinese use of the obstructions of the eye could be translated magically as scouring or buffing away obstructions and blindspots. As such, horsetails could be used magically to disabuse people of their biases and ideological blinders (or to push situations that do the same).

Image Refs

( https://www.alamy.com/stock-photo-equisetum-fluviatile-swamp-horsetail-wpl103495-113543466.html )

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Species: Equisetum pratense
Names:

Meadow Horsetail
Shade Horsetail
Shady Horsetail

Wiesen-Schachtelhalm Equisetum pratense, Nähe Rostock.
Kristian Peters -- Fabelfroh 17:32, 12 August 2006 (UTC) - Self-photographed

Distribution:

America, North: Canada (Alberta, British Columbia, Labrador, Manitoba, New Brunswick, Newfoundland, Northwest Territories, Nova Scotia, Nunavut, Ontario, Québec, Saskatchewan, Yukon), United States (Alaska, Colorado, Connecticut, Idaho, Illinois, Iowa, Maine, Massachusetts, Michigan, Minnesota, Montana, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New York, North Dakota, South Dakota, Vermont, Wisconsin)
Asia, Central: Kazakhstan, Mongolia
Asia, East: China (China North-Central, China South-Central, China Southeast, Inner Mongolia), Japan, Korea
Asia, Northern: Russia (Altay, Amur, Buryatiya, Central European Russia, Chita, East European Russia, Irkutsk, Kamchatka, Khabarovsk, Krasnoyarsk, Krym, Kuril Is., Magadan, North Caucasus, North European Russia, Northwest European Russia, Primorye, Sakhalin, Tuva, West Siberia, Yakutskiya)
Europe, Central: Austria, Czech Republic, Germany, Poland, Slovakia, Switzerland
Europe, Eastern: Belarus, Romania, Ukraine
Europe, Northern: Denmark, Estonia, Finland, Iceland, Latvia, Lithuania, Norway, Sweden
Europe, Southern: Italy, North Macedonia, Serbia, Slovenia
Europe, Western: Ireland, England, Scotland

Poison
Contains thiaminase, an enzyme which destroys thiamine (vitamin B1). Toxic in sufficient quantities.

Compiler Notes

Retained for name and distribution.

Image Refs

( https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Equisetum_pratense#/media/File:Equisetum_pratense.jpeg )

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Species: Equisetum ramosissimum
Names:

Branched Horsetail
Candock

Equisetum ramosissimum, Slavičín, Czech Republic.
Petr Filippov (Don Pedro28) - Own work.

Distribution:

Africa, Central: Burundi, Zaire
Africa, Eastern: Ethiopia, Kenya, Madagascar, Malawi, Mozambique, Réunion, Tanzania, Uganda, Zambia, Zimbabwe
Africa, Northern: Algeria, Libya, Morocco, Tunisia, Western Sahara
Africa, Southern: Botswana, Lesotho, Namibia, South Africa (Cape Provinces, Free State, KwaZulu-Natal, Northern Provinces), Eswatini
Africa, Western: Cape Verde, Mauritania
Asia, Central: Mongolia, Tajikistan, Tibet, Uzbekistan
Asia, East: China (China North-Central, China South-Central, China Southeast, Hainan, Inner Mongolia, Qinghai), Japan, Korea, Taiwan
Asia, Northern: Russia (Altay, Central European Russia, East European Russia, Krym, North Caucasus, Northwest European Russia, South European Russia, West Siberia)
Asia, South: Bangladesh, India, Nepal, Pakistan, Sri Lanka
Asia, Southeast: Cambodia, Indonesia (Borneo, Jawa, Lesser Sunda Is., Maluku, Sulawesi, Sumatera), Laos, Malaysia (Malaya), Myanmar, Philippines, Thailand, Vietnam
Asia, West: Cyprus, Iran, Iraq, Kuwait, Lebanon, Oman, Palestine, Saudi Arabia, Syria, Turkey, Yemen
Europe, Central: Austria, Czech Republic, Germany, Hungary, Poland, Slovakia, Switzerland
Europe, Eastern: Belarus, Bulgaria, Romania, Ukraine
Europe, Northern: United Kingdom (Great Britain)
Europe, Southern: Albania, Greece (including Crete), Italy (including Sardinia, Sicily), North Macedonia, Portugal (including Azores, Madeira), Serbia, Slovenia, Spain (including Balearic Islands, Canary Islands)
Europe, Northern: England, Scotland
Oceania: Fiji, New Caledonia, New Guinea, Solomon Islands, Vanuatu

Compiler Notes

Retained for name and distribution.

Image Refs

( https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Equisetum_ramosissimum#/media/File:Equisetum_ramosissimum,_Slavi%C4%8D%C3%ADn,_Czech_Republic.jpg )

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Species: Equisetum scirpoides
Names:

Dwarf Horsetail
Dvergsnelle [Norwegian]
Dwarf Scouring Rush
Dwergholpijp [Dutch]
Hentokorte [Finnish]
Himedokusa [Japanese]
Sedge Horsetail
Tradfräken [Swedish]
Trad-Padderok [Danish]

Equisetum scirpoides, Equisetaceae,
Dwarf Horsetail, habitus; Botanical Garden KIT, Karlsruhe, Germany.
H. Zell - Own work.

Distribution:

America, North: Canada (Alberta, British Columbia, Labrador, Manitoba, New Brunswick, Newfoundland, Northwest Territories, Nova Scotia, Nunavut, Ontario, Prince Edward Island, Québec, Saskatchewan, Yukon), United States (Alaska, Connecticut, Idaho, Illinois, Iowa, Maine, Massachusetts, Michigan, Minnesota, Montana, New Hampshire, New York, North Dakota, South Dakota, Vermont, Washington, Wisconsin, Wyoming)
Asia, Central: Kazakhstan, Mongolia
Asia, East: China (Inner Mongolia), Japan, Korea
Asia, Northern: Russia (Altay, Amur, Buryatiya, Central European Russia, Chita, East European Russia, Irkutsk, Kamchatka, Khabarovsk, Krasnoyarsk, Magadan, North European Russia, Primorye, Sakhalin, Tuva, West Siberia, Yakutskiya)
Europe, Northern: Estonia, Finland, Latvia, Lithuania, Norway, Sweden

Physical Description
Smallest horsetail, hardy semi-evergreen growing in clumps that reach a maximum of 30cm tall, stems are 1mm diameter with six ribs. Fertile and photosynthetic stems appear identical. Leaves are reduced to little more than a black sheath against the stem. Stems do not branch.

Compiler Notes

Retained for names and distribution.

Image Refs

( https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Equisetum_scirpoides#/media/File:Equisetum_scirpoides_001.JPG )

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Species: Equisetum sylvaticum
Names:

Wood Horsetail

Equisetum sylvaticum

Distribution:

America, North: Canada (Alberta, British Columbia, Labrador, Manitoba, New Brunswick, Newfoundland, Northwest Territories, Nova Scotia, Nunavut, Ontario, Prince Edward Island, Québec, Saskatchewan, Yukon), United States (Alaska, Connecticut, Delaware, Idaho, Illinois, Iowa, Maine, Maryland, Massachusetts, Michigan, Minnesota, Montana, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New York, North Carolina, North Dakota, Ohio, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, South Dakota, Vermont, Virginia, Washington, West Virginia, Wisconsin, Wyoming)
Asia, Central: Kazakhstan, Mongolia
Asia, East: China (China North-Central, Inner Mongolia), Japan, Korea
Asia, Northern: Russia (Altay, Amur, Buryatiya, Central European Russia, Chita, East European Russia, Irkutsk, Kamchatka, Khabarovsk, Krasnoyarsk, Kuril Is., North Caucasus, North European Russia, Northwest European Russia, Primorye, Sakhalin, Tuva, West Siberia, Yakutskiya)
Europe, Central: Austria, Czech Republic, Germany, Hungary, Poland, Slovakia, Switzerland
Europe, Eastern: Belarus, Bulgaria, Romania, Ukraine
Europe, Northern: Denmark, Estonia, Finland, Iceland, Latvia, Lithuania, Norway, Sweden
Europe, Southern: Albania, Greece, Italy, North Macedonia, Serbia, Slovenia, Spain
Europe, Western: Belgium, France, Ireland, Netherlands, England, Scotland

Compiler Notes

Retained for name and distribution.

Image Refs

( https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Equisetum_sylvaticum#/media/File:Equisetum_sylvaticum_240405.jpg )

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Species: Equisetum telmateia
Names:

Giant Horsetail
Great Horsetail
Northern Giant Horsetail


Equisetum telmateia subsp. braunii, San Jose, California. Eugene Zelenko - Own work.

Distribution:

Africa, Northern: Algeria, Libya, Morocco, Tunisia
Asia, Northern: Russia (Central European Russia, East European Russia, Krym, North Caucasus, North European Russia, Northwest European Russia, South European Russia)
Asia, West: Cyprus, Iran, Lebanon, Palestine, Syria, Turkey
Europe, Central: Austria, Czech Republic, Germany, Hungary, Poland, Slovakia, Switzerland
Europe, Eastern: Belarus, Bulgaria, Romania, Ukraine
Europe, Northern: Denmark, Estonia, Latvia, Lithuania, Sweden
Europe, Southern: Albania, Greece (including Crete), Italy (including Sardinia, Sicily), North Macedonia, Portugal (including Azores, Madeira), Serbia, Slovenia, Spain (including Balearic Islands)
Europe, Western: Belgium, France (including Corsica), Ireland, Netherlands, England, Scotland

Compiler Notes

Retained for name and distribution.

Image Refs

( https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Equisetum_telmateia#/media/File:Equisetum_telmateia_3.jpg )

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See Also:

Prestigious Plants

Plants
Flowers
Trees
Ferns
Moss and Lichen [Pending]
Fungi [Pending]
Cladistic Index
Herbal Medicine [Pending]
Resin, Incense, Balsam, and Lacquer [Pending]

Other Ferns

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Sources:

-Apelian, Nicole, and Claude Davis. The Lost Book of Herbal Remedies : The Healing Power of Plant Medicine. 2021.

-Higley, Sarah L. (2007). Hildegard of Bingen’s Unknown Language: An Edition, Translation, and Discussion. Palgrave Macmillan.

Name assistance provided by Claude 3.5 Sonnet.

Damigeron's Dungeon

Monday, September 2, 2024

Prestigious Plants - Ferns 01 - Horsetail Ferns

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