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