(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.