(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.