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££££££,,,,   it has spread to a few other places,   ,££££,,£,,
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,,,,,££££,     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   ,,££,,,,,,
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£,,,,££££, blooming peak, it's not unusual for the  ,,££,,££,,
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,,,££££,,£                                          £££££££££,
££,,££,,,,  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.     ££,,££££££
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,££,,££££,   procreation can happen sexually via    ,,££,,£££,
,,,,,,££,,  spores (cryptogamia) or asexually when  ,,,,,,,£,,
£££££,,,,,      the roots are cut, dividing an      ££££££,,,£
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