(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.