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