(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.