####@%;«-¨ ¨-«;%@####
###@%;«-¨¨ ¨¨-«;%@###
##@%;«-¨¨¨ ¨¨¨-«;%@##
###@%;«-¨¨ ¨¨-«;%@###
####@%;«-¨ ¨-«;%@####
###@%;«-¨¨ ««««««««««« ¨¨-«;%@###
##@%;«-¨¨¨ %% %% ¨¨¨-«;%@##
###@%;«-¨¨ ; 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. ¨¨-«;%@###
####@%;«-¨ ¨-«;%@####
###@%;«-¨¨ ¨¨-«;%@###
##@%;«-¨¨¨ ¨¨¨-«;%@##
###@%;«-¨¨ ¨¨-«;%@###
####@%;«-¨ ¨-«;%@####