(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.