#@#%%†~^,, ,,^~†%%#@#
@#%%†~^,,, ,,,^~†%%#@
#%%†~^,,,, ,,,,^~†%%#
@#%%†~^,,, ,,,^~†%%#@
#@#%%†~^,, ,,^~†%%#@#
##@#%%†~^, ~~~~~~~~~~~ ,^~†%%#@##
#@#%%†~^,, %% %% ,,^~†%%#@#
@#%%†~^,,, † 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. ,,,^~†%%#@
#%%†~^,,,, ,,,,^~†%%#
@#%%†~^,,, ,,,^~†%%#@
#@#%%†~^,, ,,^~†%%#@#
##@#%%†~^, ,^~†%%#@##
#@#%%†~^,, ,,^~†%%#@#