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