(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.