(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.