(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.