HENDRY — A rare and endangered orchid, previously only thought to only exist in a handful of parks and reserves in Miami-Dade, Monroe, Collier, and Lee county- has been spotted in Hendry County.

Prosthechea cochleata triandra, the Florida Clamshell Orchid, is native to hammocks and swamps of south Florida, and it is also found across the Caribbean and the tropics of Central and South America. Unfortunately, it is such an interesting and beautiful orchid, that is has fallen victim to poaching.

“No other species resembles the Florida Clamshell orchid, with its purple, erect lip and flattened pseudobulb,” said orchid expert, Danielle Reagan. “It is like a little purple octopus. It’s very striking. Beautiful.”

Entire sloughs that once were filled with the flowering plants have been stripped bare. In 2019, the US Fish and Wildlife Service stated, “In Florida, there are only 15 documented populations, all occurring on public lands managed for conservation.”

Those populations are in Everglades National Park, Big Cypress National Preserve, and Fakahatchee Strand Preserve State Park. But recently, the Bergeron Everglades Foundation discovered a stable 16th Floridian population of Clamshell orchid,

which is an exciting discovery in itself, but “What makes the finding a little more special is that this new population marks the first time the endangered Clamshell orchid has been documented on private land in Florida.” Alligator Ron Bergeron went on, “Additionally, the Clamshell orchid was recently found in Hendry county which expands the orchids range slightly north!”

The discovery of the orchid that has been around for centuries, happened during a swamp expedition. Bergeron described how special the experience was, saying that while wading through the waters his team saw cypress trees that were at least 500 years old. Trees that were here, “Before the Spaniards landed, and before America was formed.”

Exactly where in Hendry County was this unique flower found? Well, that pet is being kept a secret.

“The clamshell is secure throughout its range but endangered in Florida. We must enforce plant protection laws and prosecute plant poachers in order for it to survive. Because of this, we won’t disclose the exact location of this new population, because we want to be sure to protect it,” Reagan said.

If you’d like to watch Bergeron and team as they discover the Hendry population, he has made a video: https://fb.watch/467_1pdcIY/

If you’d like to find out more about conservation of Florida’s imperiled species, check them out online: https://www.fws.gov/endangered/