(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.