Jointed-stemmed calamitids were an important component of Carboniferous swampland floras. The generic name Calamites was first given to the ridged and furrowed casts of the pith cavity, which are commonly encountered fossils (see form-genus). Unlike their smaller modern counterparts (Equisetum species) some Carboniferous species grew to 18 m tall. Calamites cistiiformes was the first representative of the family Calamitaceae. It was first described by Stur in 1877. See also sphenopsida.