Editing Equisetum (section)

===Spores===
The [[spore]]s are borne under [[sporangiophore]]s in [[strobilus|strobili]], cone-like structures at the tips of some of the stems. In many species the cone-bearing shoots are unbranched, and in some (e.g. ''[[Equisetum arvense|E.&nbsp;arvense]]'', field horsetail) they are non-photosynthetic, produced early in spring. In some other species (e.g. ''[[Equisetum palustre|E.&nbsp;palustre]]'', marsh horsetail) they are very similar to sterile shoots, photosynthetic and with whorls of branches.<ref name=Stace>{{cite book|last=Stace|first=C. A.|author-link = Stace, C. A.|year=2019|title=New Flora of the British Isles|edition=Fourth|publisher=C & M Floristics|location = Middlewood Green, Suffolk, U.K.| isbn=978-1-5272-2630-2}}</ref>{{rp|12–15}}

Horsetails are mostly [[Spore|homosporous]], though in the field horsetail, smaller spores give rise to male [[Prothallus|prothalli]]. The spores have four [[elater]]s that act as moisture-sensitive springs, assisting spore dispersal through crawling and hopping motions after the [[Sporangium|sporangia]] have split open longitudinally.<ref>{{cite news |last1=Gill |first1=Victoria |title=Horsetail plant spores use 'legs' to walk and jump |url=https://www.bbc.com/news/science-environment-24025365 |work=[[BBC News]] |date=11 September 2013}}</ref> They are photosynthetic and have a lifespan that is usually two weeks at most, but will germinate immediately under humid conditions and develop into a [[gametophyte]].<ref>{{cite journal | pmc=4469821 | date=2015 | last1=Zhao | first1=Q. | last2=Gao | first2=J. | last3=Suo | first3=J. | last4=Chen | first4=S. | last5=Wang | first5=T. | last6=Dai | first6=S. | title=Cytological and proteomic analyses of horsetail (Equisetum arvense L.) spore germination | journal=Frontiers in Plant Science | volume=6 | page=441 | doi=10.3389/fpls.2015.00441 | doi-access=free | pmid=26136760 | bibcode=2015FrPS....6..441Z }}</ref>