(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.