(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.