(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.