........,= =,........
.......,=/ /=,.......
......,=/* */=,......
.....,=/*$ $*/=,.....
....,=/*$& &$*/=,....
...,=/*$ =========== #&$*/=,...
..,=/*$# ** ** ##&$*/=,..
.,=/*$## / 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. $*/=,.....
......,=/* They Are Quickly Paralyzed By The */=,......
.......,=/ Poison On The Purple Hairs, And /=,.......
........,= Devoured Over A Period Of Hours. =,........
........., ,.........
.......... Procreation Can Happen Sexually Via ..........
........., Spores (Cryptogamia) Or Asexually When ,.........
........,= The Roots Are Cut, Dividing An =,........
.......,=/ Individual Into Two. /=,.......
......,=/* */=,......
.....,=/*$ $*/=,.....
....,=/*$& &$*/=,....
...,=/*$ #&$*/=,...
..,=/*$# ##&$*/=,..