,.~†%§§###                                          ###§§%†~.,
,.~†%§§###                                          ###§§%†~.,
,,,....~%§                                          §%~....,,,
,.~†%§§###                                          ###§§%†~.,
,.~†%§§###                                          ###§§%†~.,
,,...†††§#               ~~~~~~~~~~~                #§†††...,,
,.~†%§§###             %%           %%              ###§§%†~.,
,.~†%§§###             †   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.           #§§%~~.,,,
,.~†%§§###                                          ###§§%†~.,
,.~†%§§###                                          ###§§%†~.,
,.~†%§§###                                          ###§§%†~.,
,,,,,~~%§§                                          §§%~~,,,,,
,.~†%§§###                                          ###§§%†~.,