(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.