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«:........ * BLUE FIRE * ........:«
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§$%*«:.... THE .BLUE FIRE. IS A CARNIVOROUS PLANT ....:«*%$§
£§$%*«:... LIVING MOSTLY AT THE WESTERN ALVAR (BUT ...:«*%$§£
#£§$%*«:.. IT HAS SPREAD TO A FEW OTHER PLACES, ..:«*%$§£#
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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, ......:«*%
$%*«:..... DEPENDING ON FOOD ACCESS, WATER, .....:«*%$
§$%*«:.... CLIMATE. ....:«*%$§
£§$%*«:... ...:«*%$§£
#£§$%*«:.. OFTEN IT'S NOT CLEAR HOW FAR THE PLANT ..:«*%$§£#
##£§$%*«:. HAS SPREAD UNLESS ITS IN THE FIRE .:«*%$§£##
#£§$%*«:.. STAGE. SUDDENLY, AS IF OVERNIGHT, WHOLE ..:«*%$§£#
£§$%*«:... FIELDS CAN BE TURNED ABLAZE (WITH THE ...:«*%$§£
§$%*«:.... SAME INDIVIDUAL PLANT, AS WELL)! IN THE ....:«*%$§
$%*«:..... BLOOMING PEAK, IT'S NOT UNUSUAL FOR THE .....:«*%$
%*«:...... WHOLE ALVAR TO BE CONNECTED NORTH-SOUTH. ......:«*%
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%*«:...... FIFTY WEEKS OF THE YEAR, WHILE IN RAT ......:«*%
$%*«:..... STAGE, THE BLUE FIRE FEEDS ON THE STONE .....:«*%$
§$%*«:.... ITSELF VIA A SLOW CHEMICAL ATTRITION. ....:«*%$§
£§$%*«:... THIS IS ENOUGH TO KEEP THE ROOTS ALIVE, ...:«*%$§£
#£§$%*«:.. BUT ALL GROWTH AND PROCREATION MUST ..:«*%$§£#
##£§$%*«:. HAPPEN DURING THE TWO WEEKS IN JUNE. .:«*%$§£##
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£§$%*«:... NOW THE PLANT FEEDS ON BIRDS; THE ...:«*%$§£
§$%*«:.... SEMISTIFF UPRIGHT FEELERS LOOKS LIKE AN ....:«*%$§
$%*«:..... EXTENSION OF THE SEA, AND BIRDS ARE .....:«*%$
%*«:...... 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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$%*«:..... PROCREATION CAN HAPPEN SEXUALLY VIA .....:«*%$
§$%*«:.... SPORES (CRYPTOGAMIA) OR ASEXUALLY WHEN ....:«*%$§
£§$%*«:... THE ROOTS ARE CUT, DIVIDING AN ...:«*%$§£
#£§$%*«:.. INDIVIDUAL INTO TWO. ..:«*%$§£#
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