###&$==-~.                                          .~-==$&###
###&$==-~.                                          .~-==$&###
&&$=---...                                          ...---=$&&
###&$==-~.                                          .~-==$&###
&====~....                                          ....~====&
###&$==-~.               (equisetum)                .~-==$&###
#$=-~~~...                                          ...~~~-=$#
&$=-~.....                                          .....~-=$&
###&$==-~.                                          .~-==$&###
&=--~.....        .~-=-~. 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 ....~--=&#
####&$=-~. separate  planes, a  few  centimeters in .~-=$&####
&$=-...... height.  time   can  get  diffracted  in ......-=$&
####$==-~. these,  hitting  each  in   turn  in   a .~-==$####
###&$==-~.       slightly different angle, and      .~-==$&###
####&$==-~         eventually spread thin.          ~-==$&####
##&=-~....                                          ....~-=&##
###&$==-~.                                          .~-==$&###
&=---.....                                          .....---=&
###&$==-~.                                          .~-==$&###
###&$==-~.                                          .~-==$&###