.,«/**&###                                          ###&**/«,.
......«**&                                          &**«......
....«**&##                                          ##&**«....
.,«/**&###                                          ###&**/«,.
.,«/***&&#                                          #&&***/«,.
.,«/**&###                «««««««««««               ###&**/«,.
.,«/**&###              **           **             ###&**/«,.
...,««**##            /   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.           #**/«,,...
.,«/**&###                                          ###&**/«,.
....,,««*&                                          &*««,,....
.,«/**&###                                          ###&**/«,.
.,«/**&###                                          ###&**/«,.
.,«/*&####                                          ####&*/«,.