(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.