That is indeed a member of the Genus Equisetum. Equis pick up silica from the soil giving them a sandpaper like quality (green or dry), They have been called snake reed (cause they kind of look like snakes when they have their strobili (heads) on them, they have also been called scouring rush as bundles of them have been used to scrub pots and pans by the pioneers. It also had medicinal uses but I leave each of you to look into that on your own. It is still used by luthiers for the very fine finsh it gives to wood and soft stone(alabaster and soapstone). It is one of the oldest plants on earth.
