(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.