(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.