(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.