(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.