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