• Leaves/stem: sterile stem; rough, green, no branches, leaves; reduced to a sheath, surrounds stem with a black band around the base, sheath; pale gray, 14 to 50 black teeth that fall off as the season progresses, sometimes leaving just a black ring around top of the sheath
• Spores: Fertile stems; like sterile stems but with 1-inch cone at tip, cones rounded at tip but with abrupt, small, sharp point
• Fruiting season: Summer
• Height: 2-4 feet
• Habitat: meadows, stream and river banks