Horsetail \Horse"tail`\, n.
1. (Bot.) A leafless plant, with hollow and rushlike stems.
It is of the genus {Equisetum}, and is allied to the
ferns. See Illust. of {Equisetum}.
2. A Turkish standard, denoting rank.
Note: Commanders are distinguished by the number of
horsetails carried before them. Thus, the sultan has
seven, the grand vizier five, and the pashas three,
two, or one.
{Shrubby horsetail}. (Bot.) See {Joint-fir}.