(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.