(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.