(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.