(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.