(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.