NEcology #75 - Finding a Needle in a Haystack: Discovering New Orchid Populations

Despite the eastern United States being one of the most well-studied areas in the world botanically, occasionally, new discoveries pop up even today. Until 2001, Neottia bifolia - the Southern Twayblade - Was known only from one population in New England. In the last few decades, it has been spotted on Martha's Vineyard, and in the last few years, people brave enough to trudge through nearly undisturbed coastal swaps have begun to share their sightings of these diminutive Orchids. Join me on my discovery of a new population of this species as well as a general expose on the fascinating ecology of New England coastal swaps!

Plants of interest:
Ilex opaca - "American Holly"
Betula alleghaniensis - "Yellow Birch"
Acer rubrum - "Red Maple"
Smilax glauca - "Sawbriar"
Viola blanda - "Sweet White Violet"
Neottia bifolia - "Southern Twayblade"
Chamaecyparis thyoides - "Atlantic White-cedar"
Uvularia sessilifolia - "Sessile Bellwort"
Coptis trifolia - "Threeleaf Goldthread"