.&..&&..&& &&&.&.&&.&
.&.&.&.&.& .&&.&..&.&
.&.&.&.&.. &.&.&.&&.&
.&.&.&.&.& &.&.&..&.&
.&.&.&.&.& &.&.&.&&.&
.&.&.&.&.& (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. &.&.&..&.&
.&.&.&.&.& &.&.&.&&.&
.&.&.&.&.& &.&.&..&.&
.&.&.&.&.& &.&.&.&&.&
.&.&.&.&.& &.&.&..&.&
.&.&.&.&.& &.&.&.&&.&