The Equisetophyta reference article from the English Wikipedia on 24-Jul-2004
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Equisetophyta

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Equisetophyta
Sterile and vegetative stems of an EquisetumEnlarge

Sterile and vegetative stems of an Equisetum

Scientific classification
Kingdom:Plantae
Division:Equisetophyta
Classes
Equisetopsida

The Division Equisetophyta is a taxon in the Kingdom Plantae containing mostly primitive land plants. Now extinct plant species in this division were among the first plants to grow on land. With the exception of the horsetails and scouring rushes, all members of this grouping are known only from fossils, and included large trees that grew during the Carboniferous period. There is but one class: the Equisetopsida.