Editing Equisetum (section)

==Etymology==
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The name "horsetail", often used for the entire group, arose because the branched species somewhat resemble a [[horse]]'s tail. Similarly, the [[Binomial nomenclature|scientific name]] ''Equisetum'' is derived from the [[Latin]] {{lang|la|equus}} ('horse') + {{lang|la|seta}} ('bristle').<ref>{{cite book |page= 283 |title= Florida Ethnobotany |author= Daniel F. Austin |edition=illustrated |publisher= CRC Press |year= 2004 |isbn= 9780203491881}}</ref>

Other names include '''candock''' for branching species, '''marestail''', '''puzzlegrass''', and '''snake grass''' or '''scouring-rush''' for unbranched or sparsely branched species. The latter name refers to the [[Juncus|rush]]-like appearance of the plants and to the fact that the stems are coated with abrasive [[silicate]]s, making them useful for scouring (cleaning) metal items such as cooking pots or drinking mugs, particularly those made of [[tin]]. ''[[Equisetum hyemale]]'', rough horsetail, is still boiled and then dried in [[Japan]] to be used for the final polishing process on [[Woodworking|woodcraft]] to produce a smooth finish.<ref name=Husby>{{cite journal |first=C |last=Husby |date=2013 |title=Biology and functional ecology of ''Equisetum'' with emphasis on the giant horsetails |journal=Botanical Review |volume=79 |issue=2 |pages=147–177 |doi=10.1007/s12229-012-9113-4 |bibcode=2013BotRv..79..147H |s2cid=15414705 }}</ref> In [[German language|German]], the corresponding name is {{lang|de|Zinnkraut}} ('tin-herb'). In [[Spanish language|Spanish]]-speaking countries, these plants are known as {{lang|es|cola de caballo}} ('horsetail').