,,,,,,,,,, ,&&,,&&,,,
,,,,,,,,,& ,,&,&,&,,,
,,,,,,,,&, ,&&,&,&,,,
,,,,,,,&&, ,,&,&,&,,,
,,,,,,&,&, ,&&,&,&,,,
,,,,,&&,&, ~~~~~~~~~~~ ,,&,&,&,,,
,,,,&,&,&, ** ** ,&&,&,&,,,
,,,&&,&,&, = BLUE FIRE = ,,&,&,&,,,
,,&,&,&,&, ** ** ,&&,&,&,,,
,&&,&,&,&, ~~~~~~~~~~~ ,,&,&,&,,,
&,&,&,&,&, ,&&,&,&,,,
&,&,&,&,&, THE ,BLUE FIRE, IS A CARNIVOROUS PLANT ,,&,&,&,,&
&,&,&,&,&, LIVING MOSTLY AT THE WESTERN ALVAR (BUT ,&&,&,&,&,
&,&,&,&,&, IT HAS SPREAD TO A FEW OTHER PLACES, ,,&,&,&,&,
&,&,&,&,&, MOSTLY ROCKY COASTS). ,&&,&,&,&,
&,&,&,&,&, ,,&,&,&,&,
&,&,&,&,&, THE PLANT IS A DENSE NETWORK OF ,&&,&,&,&,
&,&,&,&,&, GREEN-BROWN TENTACLE-LIKE ROOTS, WHICH ,,&,&,&,&,
&,&,&,&,&, IS OFTEN CALLED "RAT'S TAIL" BEFORE ,&&,&,&,&,
&,&,&,&,&, BLOOMING. IN LATE JUNE, IT QUICKLY ,,&,&,&,&,
&,&,&,&,&, SPROUTS FEELERS, TEN TO THIRTY ,&&,&,&,&,
&,&,&,&,&, CENTIMETERS HIGH, FILLED WITH PURPLE ,,&,&,&,&,
&,&,&,&,&, HAIRS - THIS IS THE BLUE FIRE. THIS ,&&,&,&,&,
&,&,&,&,&, STAGE LASTS FOR ONE OR TWO WEEKS, ,,&,&,&,&,
&,&,&,&,&, DEPENDING ON FOOD ACCESS, WATER, ,&&,&,&,&,
&,&,&,&,&, CLIMATE. ,,&,&,&,&,
&,&,&,&,&, ,&&,&,&,&,
&,&,&,&,&, OFTEN IT'S NOT CLEAR HOW FAR THE PLANT ,,&,&,&,&,
&,&,&,&,&, HAS SPREAD UNLESS ITS IN THE FIRE ,&&,&,&,&,
&,&,&,&,&, STAGE. SUDDENLY, AS IF OVERNIGHT, WHOLE ,,&,&,&,&,
&,&,&,&,&, FIELDS CAN BE TURNED ABLAZE (WITH THE ,&&,&,&,&,
&,&,&,&,&, SAME INDIVIDUAL PLANT, AS WELL)! IN THE ,,&,&,&,&,
&,&,&,&,&, BLOOMING PEAK, IT'S NOT UNUSUAL FOR THE ,&&,&,&,&,
&,&,&,&,&, WHOLE ALVAR TO BE CONNECTED NORTH-SOUTH. ,,&,&,&,&,
&,&,&,&,&, ,&&,&,&,&,
&,&,&,&,&, =**~~~~~**= ,,&,&,&,&,
&,&,&,&,&, ,&&,&,&,&,
&,&,&,&,&, FIFTY WEEKS OF THE YEAR, WHILE IN RAT ,,&,&,&,&,
&,&,&,&,&, STAGE, THE BLUE FIRE FEEDS ON THE STONE ,&&,&,&,&,
&,&,&,&,&, ITSELF VIA A SLOW CHEMICAL ATTRITION. ,,&,&,&,&,
&,&,&,&,&, THIS IS ENOUGH TO KEEP THE ROOTS ALIVE, ,&&,&,&,&,
&,&,&,&,&, BUT ALL GROWTH AND PROCREATION MUST ,,&,&,&,&,
&,&,&,&,&, HAPPEN DURING THE TWO WEEKS IN JUNE. ,&&,&,&,&,
&,&,&,&,&, ,,&,&,&,&,
&,&,&,&,&, NOW THE PLANT FEEDS ON BIRDS; THE ,&&,&,&,&,
&,&,&,&,&, SEMISTIFF UPRIGHT FEELERS LOOKS LIKE AN ,,&,&,&,&,
&,&,&,&,&, EXTENSION OF THE SEA, AND BIRDS ARE ,&&,&,&,&,
&,&,&,&,&, TRICKED INTO LANDING OR DIVING INTO IT. ,,&,&,&,&,
&,&,&,&,&, THEY ARE QUICKLY PARALYZED BY THE ,&&,&,&,&,
&,&,&,&,&, POISON ON THE PURPLE HAIRS, AND ,,&,&,&,&,
&,&,&,&,&, DEVOURED OVER A PERIOD OF HOURS. ,&&,&,&,&,
&,&,&,&,&, ,,&,&,&,&,
&,&,&,&,&, PROCREATION CAN HAPPEN SEXUALLY VIA ,&&,&,&,&,
&,&,&,&,&, SPORES (CRYPTOGAMIA) OR ASEXUALLY WHEN ,,&,&,&,&,
&,&,&,&,&, THE ROOTS ARE CUT, DIVIDING AN ,&&,&,&,&,
&,&,&,&,&, INDIVIDUAL INTO TWO. ,,&,&,&,&,
&,&,&,&,&, ,&&,&,&,&,
&,&,&,&,&, ,,&,&,&,&,
&,&,&,&,&, ,&&,&,&,&,
&,&,&,&,&, ,,&,&,&,&,
&,&,&,&,&, ,&&,&,&,&,