(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.