Excerpt from An Alchemist’s Guide to Botany by Ernila of Vatora
Grass may be amongst the most ubiquitous of plants, but its strange, violet-coloured cousin is anything but ordinary. Purple grass, with its narrow leaves sprouting directly from the ground, flourishes in sun-drenched fields. However, unlike other grasses, its roots are shallow, which begs the question: how does it garner its water and nutrients? It is speculated that the plant absorbs water from the morning dew and rainfall. As for nutrients, however, there is no agreement amongst scholars. I posit that purple grass defies convention, somehow deriving essential sustenance directly from the sunlight itself. I believe that this characteristic is the key to its extraordinary utility.
Amongst all Realida’s flora, purple grass is arguably the most coveted. Its innate ability to bind and stabilise the properties of other alchemical ingredients makes it an unparalleled base for high-quality potions. Distilling its extract is, unfortunately, quite wasteful and vast quantities of the plant are needed to produce even a modest batch. As such, any field where it grows is swiftly harvested when discovered.
Despite its value, cultivating purple grass in a controlled atmosphere has proven frustratingly elusive. My initial research had been in pursuit of an optimal reconstruction of the soil of its natural habitat. The futility of this approach led me to the conclusion that the soil itself is inconsequential to its survival. I have since turned my efforts to mimicking the sunlight under conditions of heightened elemental activity by means of carefully crafted magical disturbances. So far, the results have been equally disappointing. The enigma of purple grass persists, a puzzle that I fear will keep me occupied until my death.