.....&.... .&...&&&..
......&... ..&..&.&&.
.......&.. ...&...&&&
&.......&. ....&..&.&
&&.......& .....&...&
.&&....... (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. &.&&....&.
&&&......& ..&&&.....
&.&&.....& ..&.&&....
..&&&..... &...&&&...
..&.&&.... &&..&.&&..
....&&&... .&&...&&&.