Order: Equisetales

The order Equisetales is one of several in the class Sphenopsida, but it is the only surviving one, the others being fossil groups. The sole family is the Equisetaceae, which see.

I have placed the Equisetums, the psilotoids, and the ophioglossoids together in the division Archeophyta because there are studies that show that they may have an ancient common source after the divergence of true ferns and lycopods. They are probably closer to the seed plants than these other groups, but may be slightly more closely related to each other, representing a phyletic, though distantly-related, group.

Family of Equisetales:

1. Equisetaceae

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This page was last revised on 11-10-1997.