#.####.#.#                                          .....#.##.
#..###.#.#                                          ....##..#.
#.#.##.#.#                                          ...#.#.##.
#.#..#.#.#                                          ..##.#..#.
#.#.##.#.#                                          .#.#.#.##.
#.#..#.#.#               ===========                ##.#.#..#.
#.#.##.#.#              **           **             .#.#.#.##.
#.#..#.#.#            ;   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.           .#.#.#..#.
#.#.##.#.#                                          .#.#.#.##.
#.#..#.#.#                                          .#.#.#..#.
#.#.##.#.#                                          .#.#.#.##.
#.#..#.#.#                                          .#.#.#..#.
#.#.##.#.#                                          .#.#.#.##.