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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, ,,,,,,,,~«
†«~,,,,,,, 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. ,,,,,,~«†%
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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. ,,,,,,,~«†
%†«~,,,,,, ,,,,,,~«†%
£%†«~,,,,, procreation can happen sexually via ,,,,,~«†%£
@£%†«~,,,, spores (cryptogamia) or asexually when ,,,,~«†%£@
@@£%†«~,,, the roots are cut, dividing an ,,,~«†%£@@
#@@£%†«~,, individual into two. ,,~«†%£@@#
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