...&.&.&&. .&.&&..&&.
..&&.&..&. .&..&.&.&.
.&.&.&.&&. .&.&&.&.&.
&&.&.&..&. .&..&.&.&.
.&.&.&.&&. .&.&&.&.&.
&&.&.&..&. (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. .&..&.&.&.
.&.&.&.&&. .&.&&.&.&.
&&.&.&..&. .&..&.&.&.
.&.&.&.&&. .&.&&.&.&.
&&.&.&..&. .&..&.&.&.
.&.&.&.&&. .&.&&.&.&.