Thames Travelling
Horsetail fern grows freely along the River Thames.

Millions of years ago dinosaurs used to feed on it. We know this because the plant contains silica which ground down the dinosaur's teeth.

Horsetail fern

The Horse-Tail fern is one of the oldest plants in Britain today, and one of the most interesting to look at. It's been around since the time of the dinosaurs.

It nearly always prefers to grow near water.

It is now an endangered species in many places where it used to flourish, so watch out for this beautiful dark green plant, with the delicate black bands around the base of each segment, and treat it gently.

Meat-eating Megalosaurus in the foreground, flying Ornithodesmus pterodactyls, a grazing herd of Iguanodon to the right, a pair of crocodiles centre right, and various other plant eaters on the left and far left. © The evolution and ecology of the Dinosaurs, L. B. Halstead 1975.

MANYTHANKS TO PROFESSOR BRUCE SELLWOOD OF READING UNIVERSITY FOR ALL OF HIS HELP WITH THIS WALK