.,«*%&####                                          ####&%*«,.
.......«%@                                          @%«.......
.,«*%&@###                                          ###@&%*«,.
.,«*%&@###                                          ###@&%*«,.
.,«*%&@###                                          ###@&%*«,.
.,«*%&&&&#               «««««««««««                #&&&&%*«,.
.,«*%&@###             %%           %%              ###@&%*«,.
.,«*%&@###             *   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.           ###@&%*«,.
.,«*%&@###                                          ###@&%*«,.
.,«*%&@###                                          ###@&%*«,.
.,«*%&@@##                                          ##@@&%*«,.
.,«*%&&@@#                                          #@@&&%*«,.
.,««««*%&@                                          @&%*««««,.