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##@£**~:.. * 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. ..:~**£@##
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