Occurrence of Equisetum telmateia (Equisetaceae) in anthropogenic plant communities in the Carpathians and the Lower Silesia. Fragmenta Floristica et Geobotanica Polonica 10: 27–55. Kraków. PL ISSN 1640 629X. ABSTRACT: This paper presents documentation of occurrence of Equisetum telmateia Ehrh. in anthropogenic communities in the Carpathians and the Lower Silesia. The list contains thirteen associations (communities) from classes: Stellarietea mediae, Artemisietea vulgaris, Molinio Arrhenatheretea and Trifolio Geranietea sanguinei. Examples of E. telmateia fo. serotinum occurrence in some associations are given.
The Giant Horsetail (Equisetum telmateia) is the only representative of Equisetum genus included in the list of strictly protected species. In Central and Western Europe the species is found in communities belonging to alliances: Alno-Padion and Calthion. With progressing destruction of these biotopes, one can observe the phenomenon of this species moving to the habitats extremely anthropogenic in character. Frequent and intensive observations of this phenomenon were conducted in the Jasło - Krosno Dale area in southern Poland in three anthropogenic localities. In these localities three interesting, irregular Equisetum telmateia morphotypes were found: fo. serotinum subfo. proliferum, fo. spiralis and a morphotype with branched shoot. The phenomenon of morphological plasticity of sporophytes is thought to be connected with the action of genes, which regulate the identity of developing plant organs and their distribution. These genes perform a superior part in relation to the system of growth regulators.