¨-~***%%§@ @§%%***~-¨
¨-~****%%@ @%%****~-¨
¨-~**%§@@# #@@§%**~-¨
¨-~*%§@@## ##@@§%*~-¨
¨-~**%§@@# #@@§%**~-¨
¨-~**%§@@# ~~~~~~~~~~~ #@@§%**~-¨
¨-~**%§@@# ** ** #@@§%**~-¨
¨¨¨-****%@ * 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. @%*~¨¨¨¨¨¨
¨-~**%§@@# #@@§%**~-¨
¨----~***§ §***~----¨
¨¨¨¨~~**%§ §%**~~¨¨¨¨
¨-~**%§@@@ @@@§%**~-¨
¨-~**%@@## ##@@%**~-¨