(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.