(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.