Ghost Snow, Aurelia Aurita

Written by CasimirT

Species: Aurelia Aurita Common name: Ghost Snow
WARNINGS: Unless you are a trained medical practitioner, herbalist, high priest or village elder it is strongly recommended that you avoid this flower. Do not let it touch your skin, and god forbid, don't eat it. Ghost snow flowers cause hallucinations that can last a full day after the initial interaction. Vivid colours, shapes, visions can occur and while the flower has no addictive qualities, common folk can easily become infatuated to a point that the flowers repeated use causes long term damage to the mind, body and soul.
Found: Country side, open planes and wide spaces, typically at night Origin: No one knows exactly where they grow, as only the flowers float down over fields, it is thought that they grow on mountain peaks and are brought down by strong winds.
Description: A pale and semi-translucent flower, with four rounded petals in a clover like formation. Its stamen are long and tendril like, similar to the tentacles of a jellyfish. It floats slowly down from the sky and looks like snow. The flowers are the size of an apple and the centre of the flower is a pale blue colour. In the moonlight they glow faintly, and look like ghosts, or snow. They have 'migration' patterns, and settle in the same areas each time. Each bloom comes about every few weeks, with larger blooms present on full moon nights. Due to their predicted settling villages have certain paddocks or fields that are sectioned off and not used, due to the flowers landing there every few weeks. It takes a few hours for the flowers to have all fallen, and once on the ground they stay fresh for a few days after. However once dry it is still recommended to stay away. By the time the fallen flowers are deemed dead or safe, a new bloom comes along and renders the field unsafe again. If the bloom's landing space is over a body of water, that water should not be used to bathe in or drink, cooking with it or watering food crops or animals is also ill advised.
Uses: This flower can be used for medicinal purposes, but only if brewed correctly. The skills surrounding the harvest, storage and use of the ghost snow flower are reserved for a select few. The flower, when boiled (with other herbs), releases the toxins that give it its hallucinatory properties. The petals (not the water) can then be used to cure a multitude of ailments. Such remedies include joint aches and pains, fever relief, calming ointment for wounds and can assist in the relaxation and comfort of a woman during pregnancy and labor. Though it is uncommon practice and frowned upon, the water the petals were boiled in can be used as a pure form of psychedelics and is often sold undercover for a very high price. Its negative impacts on the common people has resulted in this extract to be outlawed. So much so that any one caught using, dealing or making this extract will be jailed.
History: The ghost snow flowers are named as such by locals who have seen over the decades how users of the flowers, that fall like snow from above, turn to ghosts of their former selves. By users they don't mean village elders, witches or priests, they mean common folk who are drawn to its psychedelia properties when touched. All it takes is is for the flower to fall on bare skin for the hallucinogens to take effect. While it doesn't have addictive qualities as a raw flower, the concentrate made while using the flower as medicine does in fact pull people in.

Basic Information

Genetics and Reproduction

Unknown

Growth Rate & Stages

Mostly unknown though it is assumed that the 'ripe' flower leaves the stem or main plant to float and spread over the land.

Ecology and Habitats

Habitat is assumed to be mou tain ranges, as the petals themselves seem to rain down from above like snow.

Genetic Ancestor(s)

• Ghost Snow, Aurelia Aurita

Genetic Descendants

• Ghost Snow, Aurelia Aurita

Scientific Name

Aurelia Aurita

Origin/Ancestry

Unknown

Conservation Status

It is not under protection as the source of the flower is unknown, and the bud itself is some what of a nuisance, rendering large acres of land uninhabitable.

Average Height

The flowers are typically the size of you palm, with some blooms spanning as large as a plate.

Discovered by

Monk Shautsu