(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.