(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.