(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.