(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.