(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.