(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.