(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.