###§$==«^, ,^«==$§###
###§$==«^, ,^«==$§###
###§$==«^, ,^«==$§###
#§$==«««^, ,^«««==$§#
§§§$=«,,,, ,,,,«=$§§§
###§$==«^, ««««««««««« ,^«==$§###
###§$==«^, == == ,^«==$§###
####§$==^, = blue fire = ,^==$§####
####$==«^, == == ,^«==$####
§$$$==^,,, ««««««««««« ,,,^==$$$§
###§$==«^, ,^«==$§###
#§$$==^,,, the ,blue fire, is a carnivorous plant ,,,^==$$§#
###§$==«^, living mostly at the western alvar (but ,^«==$§###
###§$==«^, it has spread to a few other places, ,^«==$§###
###§$==«^, mostly rocky coasts). ,^«==$§###
##§$$==«^, ,^«==$$§##
###§$==«^, the plant is a dense network of ,^«==$§###
###§$==«^, green-brown tentacle-like roots, which ,^«==$§###
##§§$==«^, is often called "rat's tail" before ,^«==$§§##
####$==«^, blooming. in late june, it quickly ,^«==$####
###§$==«^, sprouts feelers, ten to thirty ,^«==$§###
###§$==«^, centimeters high, filled with purple ,^«==$§###
####§==«^, 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 ,,,,^«==§§
###§$==«^, spores (cryptogamia) or asexually when ,^«==$§###
#$==««,,,, the roots are cut, dividing an ,,,,««==$#
#§$===««^, individual into two. ,^««===$§#
##§$=««^^, ,^^««=$§##
§==«,,,,,, ,,,,,,«==§
#§===«^,,, ,,,^«===§#
##§=«««^^, ,^^«««=§##
##$==«««^, ,^«««==$##