,:«*%%#### ####%%*«:,
,,:«*%%### ###%%*«:,,
,,,:«*%%## ##%%*«:,,,
,,:«*%%### ###%%*«:,,
,:«*%%#### ####%%*«:,
,,:«*%%### ««««««««««« ###%%*«:,,
,,,:«*%%## %% %% ##%%*«:,,,
,,:«*%%### * 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. ###%%*«:,,
,:«*%%#### ####%%*«:,
,,:«*%%### ###%%*«:,,
,,,:«*%%## ##%%*«:,,,
,,:«*%%### ###%%*«:,,
,:«*%%#### ####%%*«:,