##¶@¤=†~,, ,,~†=¤@¶##
###¶@¤=†~, ,~†=¤@¶###
##¶@¤=†~,, ,,~†=¤@¶##
#¶@¤=†~,,, ,,,~†=¤@¶#
¶@¤=†~,,,, ,,,,~†=¤@¶
@¤=†~,,,,, ~~~~~~~~~~~ ,,,,,~†=¤@
¤=†~,,,,,, == == ,,,,,,~†=¤
=†~,,,,,,, † 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. ,,,~†=¤@¶#
##¶@¤=†~,, ,,~†=¤@¶##
###¶@¤=†~, ,~†=¤@¶###
##¶@¤=†~,, ,,~†=¤@¶##
#¶@¤=†~,,, ,,,~†=¤@¶#
¶@¤=†~,,,, ,,,,~†=¤@¶