(equisetum)                
                                          
                                          
                                          
          the plant         
                                          
 the equisetum  is  a  plant  much  older 
 than  ferns,  which  are  in  turn  much 
 older than most trees.  it's light green 
 to  yellow  in  color  and  is  slightly 
               transparent.               
                                          
 the plant has a spine. each  vertebra is 
 stacked  upon the  next,  with spokelike 
 ribs  radiating  outward.  even so, it's 
 very  light, being hollow.  it's roughly 
 the height of  a  foxes tail, and shares 
            a similar plumage.            
                                          
 it  likes partial  shade  and very  damp 
                   areas                  
                                          
                                          
                                          
          in magic          
                                          
 when  a  colony numbers high  enough, it 
 slices  the  air  in  the   forest  into 
 separate  planes, a few  centimeters  in 
 height.  time  can  get  diffracted   in 
 these,   hitting  each   in  turn  in  a 
      slightly different angle, and       
          eventually spread thin.