&....&&... .&&.&.&&.&
&...&.&..& &.&.&..&..
&..&&.&.&. &.&.&.&&.&
&.&.&.&.&. &.&.&..&..
&.&.&.&.&. &.&.&.&&.&
&.&.&.&.&. ~~~~~~~~~~~ &.&.&..&..
&.&.&.&.&. %% %% &.&.&.&&.&
&.&.&.&.&. ^ 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. &.&.&..&..
&.&.&.&.&. &.&.&.&&.&
&.&.&.&.&. &.&.&..&..
&.&.&.&.&. &.&.&.&&.&
&.&.&.&.&. &.&.&..&..
&.&.&.&.&. &.&.&.&&.&