Tso Kung Tam Outdoor Recreation Centre – Eco-trail

 

Spot 10 – Horsetail Tree

Introduction

Horsetail Tree is native to Australia and Pacific islands. It was introduced into South China for the purposes of soil consolidation and as windbreaks. It has good resistance to salinity. Therefore it is always planted near the coast. In appearance, Horsetail Tree resembles Pine. In fact, they have big difference. Pine’s leaves are long and needle-shaped. The needle leaves are not segmented. Leaf-like structure of Horsetail Tree is in fact branchlet, intersected, the real leaves are degenerated into minute teeth around the nodes.

Photos

Intersected branchlets of Horsetail Tree	Needle leaves of a pine

Information and photos are provided by Ho Koon Nature Education cum Astronomical Centre

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