(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.