Invasiveness Assessment - Branched horsetail (Equisetum ramosissimum) in Victoria (Nox)
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Plant invasiveness is determined by evaluating a plant’s biological and ecological characteristics against criteria that encompass establishment requirements, growth rate and competitive ability, methods of reproduction, and dispersal mechanisms.
| Each characteristic, or criterion, is assessed against a list of intensity ratings. Depending upon information found, a rating of Low, Medium Low, Medium High or High is assigned to that criterion. Where no data is available to answer a criterion, a rating of medium (M) is applied. A description of the invasiveness criteria and intensity ratings used in this process can be viewed here. |
The following table provides information on the invasiveness of Branched horsetail.
A more detailed description of the methodology of the Victorian Weed Risk Assessment (WRA) method can be viewed below:
Victorian Weed Risk Assessment (WRA) method (PDF - 630 KB)
Victorian Weed Risk Assessment (WRA) method (DOC - 1 MB)
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Common Name: Branched horsetail
Scientific name: Equisetum ramosissimum
| Question | Comments | Reference | Rating |
| Establishment | |||
| Germination requirements? | Reproduces mostly by vegetative means (i.e. Rhizome) at any time in moist environments. | Matus (1999) Clapham et al (1952) | H |
| Establishment requirements? | Occurs in woods, vineyards, orchards, where shading would occur. | Matus (1999) CAB Abstracts | MH |
| How much disturbance is required? | Est. amongst irrigated crops, as well as vineyards & citris orchards. | CAB Abstracts | MH |
| Growth/Competitive | |||
| Life form? | Semi-aquatic → found growing in wet places (e.g. standing water). | Matus (1999) CAB Abstracts | H |
| Allelopathic properties? | None described. |  | L |
| Tolerates herb pressure? | If consumed would recover quickly because rhizome presumably remains intact. | Clapham et al (1952) | MH |
| Normal growth rate? | See E. arvense. | | MH |
| Stress tolerance to frost, drought, w/logg, sal. etc? | Tolerance to low temp (0 - 2oC), high aridity (xeric features), waterlogging (semi-aquatic), fire (rhizome), salinity. | Matus (1999) CAB Abstracts | H |
| Reproduction | |||
| Reproductive system | Sexual (spores & vegetative (rhizomes). | Clapham et al (1952) | H |
| Number of propagules produced? | Numerous spores 5-8 sporangia. - 8 sporangia/strobilus x >300 spores = >2,000 spores. | Clapham et al (1952) | H |
| Propagule longevity? | Assumed to be short-lived like E. arvense & E. palustre. Hence, rhizome being 1o mechanism for reproduction. | Clapham et al (1952) | L |
| Reproductive period? | Rhizomes perennial. | Clapham et al (1952) | H |
| Time to reproductive maturity? | Assumed to be same as E. arvense & E.palustre. - Once rhizome produces aerial stems (fertile stems first). | Matus (1999) | H |
| Dispersal | |||
| Number of mechanisms? | Spores overlaid by 2 spiral bands (‘elators’). | Clapham et al (1952) | H |
| How far do they disperse? | Spores also numerous, so greater chance will disperse further. | Clapham et al (1952) | MH |
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