@&****†~,, ,,~†****&@
@$*†,,,,,, ,,,,,,†*$@
#&$$†,,,,, ,,,,,†$$&#
###@$*†~,, ,,~†*$@###
@&****†~,, ,,~†****&@
@&**†,,,,, ~~~~~~~~~~~ ,,,,,†**&@
@@$†~~~,,, ** ** ,,,~~~†$@@
##@&$*†~,, † BLUE FIRE † ,,~†*$&@##
@$**†,,,,, ** ** ,,,,,†**$@
###@&$*†,, ~~~~~~~~~~~ ,,†*$&@###
###@$*†~,, ,,~†*$@###
#&$$$*†~,, THE ,BLUE FIRE, IS A CARNIVOROUS PLANT ,,~†*$$$&#
&&**††~,,, 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 ,,,,,~†$$&
##@&$*†~,, INDIVIDUAL INTO TWO. ,,~†*$&@##
&$*~,,,,,, ,,,,,,~*$&
##@&$*†~,, ,,~†*$&@##
&$*~,,,,,, ,,,,,,~*$&
#@@&$*†~,, ,,~†*$&@@#
@@@&$*†~,, ,,~†*$&@@@