(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.