(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.