(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.