Ultrastructural features of the internodes’ surface in horsetail (Equisetum arvense L.)

Abstract

Myroslava Stakhiv, Mykola Shcherbatuik, Lesya Voytenko, Ludmyla Musatenko

The ultrastructure of the outer surface of the common horsetail stem was studied. Through electron microscopic analysis we showed that silica plates on the surface of Equisetum arvense L. stem are distributed evenly, not tight, in thin layer. Thus, compact arrangement of particles on the internodes causes high mechanical strength and stiffness of the E. arvense stem and lateral branches.