(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.