,@@@@,@,@,                                          ,@@@,,,,,,
,@,,,@@@@@                                          ,@,,@,,,,,
,@@,,@,,,,                                          ,@@,@@,,,,
,@,@,@@,,,                                          ,@,@@,@,,,
,@@@@@,@,,                                          ,@@@,@@@,,
,@,,,,@@@,                ===========               ,@,,@@,,@,
,@@,,,@,,@             %%           %%              ,@@,@,@,@@
@@,@,,@@,@            \   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.           ,@@,@@@@,@
,,,,,@@@,,                                          @@,@@,,,@@
@,,,,@,,@,                                          @,@@,@,,@,
@@,,,@@,@@                                          @@@,@@@,@@
,,@,,@,@@,                                          ,,,@@,,@@,
,,@@,@@@,@                                          @,,@,@,@,@