,.«\§%@### ###@%§\«.,
,.«\§%@### ###@%§\«.,
,,,..«\§%# #%§\«..,,,
,.«\§%@### ###@%§\«.,
,.«\§%@### ###@%§\«.,
,,,.\§§%%# ««««««««««« #%%§§\.,,,
,,,,.«\§%# §§ §§ #%§\«.,,,,
,,,,..\\§@ \ 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. ####@%\«.,
,,,,,.\§%@ @%§\.,,,,,
,.«\§%@### ###@%§\«.,
,.«\§%@### ###@%§\«.,
,.«\§%@### ###@%§\«.,
,.«\§%@### ###@%§\«.,