(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.