Spores of field horsetail

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Spores of field horsetail

False colour scanning electron micrograph of spores of the field horsetail, Equisetum arvense. The horsetail is the only living type of a primitive family of plants, the Sphenopsids, that were predominant at the formation of the coal measures. The vegetative stems are produced from underground rhizomes & the leaves are reduced to toothed sheaths at the leaf joints. Fertile shoots bear conelike sporangia, carrying the spores, which in this species appear in Spring. The picture shows moist spores bound tightly by their elators, or bands of thickened cells. As the spores dry out, the elators unfurl, tossing the spores out of the sporangium. Mag: X 114 at 35mm. Original is BW print b450/025

Science Photo Library features Science and Medical images including photos and illustrations

Media ID 6292219

© DR JEREMY BURGESS/SCIENCEPHOTO LIBRARY

Bound Equisetum Arvense Horsetail Pteridophyte Pteridophytes Spore

EDITORS COMMENTS
This print showcases the intricate beauty of field horsetail spores, captured using a false color scanning electron microscope. Field horsetail, scientifically known as Equisetum arvense, belongs to a primitive family of plants called Sphenopsids that thrived during the coal measures era. The plant's vegetative stems emerge from underground rhizomes while its leaves are reduced to toothed sheaths at the leaf joints. In this image, we witness fertile shoots adorned with conelike sporangia carrying an abundance of spores. These particular spores appear in Spring and are bound tightly together by their elators - bands of thickened cells. As moisture surrounds them, they remain snugly held within their protective casings. However, as time passes and the environment dries out, these remarkable elators unfurl themselves with grace and precision. Their purpose becomes clear - to toss the spores forcefully out of the sporangium into their surroundings for dispersal. At a magnification level of X 114 at 35mm, this black-and-white print offers us a glimpse into nature's incredible intricacies. It reminds us that even seemingly insignificant organisms like these tiny spores play vital roles in our ecosystem's delicate balance. Science Photo Library has once again captured an awe-inspiring moment in botany through this mesmerizing photograph.

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