(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.