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