(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.