@@,,,,,,,, @,,,,,@,,@ @,,@@@@@@@ ,,@@@,,,,, ,,,,@@@@@@ @,,@,,@@@, @@@,,@@@@@ ,,,,,,,@,, ,@,,,,@@@@ @@@@@@,,,, ,,,@@,,@@@ =========== @@@@@,,@@@ ,@,,,,,,@@ %% %% @@@@,,,,@, ,,,@@@@,,@ \ 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. @@@@@@@@@@ @@@@@@@@@@ @@@@@@@@@@ @@@@@@@@@@ @@@@@@@@@@ @@@@@@@@@@ @@@@@@@@@@ @@@@@@@@@@ @@@@@@@@@@ @@@@@@@@@@ @@@@@@@@@@