(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.