¨¨¨¨,=== #&===,¨¨¨¨
¨,=:=*@# #@#&*=:=,¨
¨¨¨¨==**&& &&**==¨¨¨¨
¨¨¨¨¨¨==&@ @&==¨¨¨¨¨¨
¨,=:=*@@ @@#&*=:=,¨
¨,=:==*# =========== ##&*==:=,¨
¨,==*@## == == ##@#&*==,¨
¨¨,,,==*&@ : 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. #*===,¨¨¨¨
¨,=:=*## ###&*=:=,¨
¨,=:=*#@ @##&*=:=,¨
¨,=:=*#@## ##@#*=:=,¨
¨,=:=*## ###&*=:=,¨
¨,=:=*@# #@#&*=:=,¨