(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.