(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.