(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.