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.