.:-\†§&###                                          ###&§†\-:.
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.:-\†§&###                                          ###&§†\-:.
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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. ##&§†\-:..
.:-\†§&###                                          ###&§†\-:.
..:-\†§&##               \††-----††\                ##&§†\-:..
.:-\†§&###                                          ###&§†\-:.
..:-\†§&##   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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.:-\†§&###                                          ###&§†\-:.
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.:-\†§&###                                          ###&§†\-:.