An inventory study on the cigar orchid (Cyrtopodium punctatum) in Big Cypress National Preserve: Final report
Liu H, Olivas P, Lange J. 2024. An inventory study on the cigar orchid (Cyrtopodium punctatum) in Big Cypress National Preserve: Final report. Natural Resource Report. NPS/BICY/NRR—2024/2627. National Park Service. Fort Collins, Colorado. https://doi.org/10.36967/2302454
The cigar orchid is a Florida state-listed endangered species, made rare in southern Florida by historical over-collection for its unique beauty, in addition to habitat loss. It is largely restricted to a small number of cypress domes and freshwater sloughs in southwestern Florida, including the Big Cypress National Preserve (BICY). We established a baseline dataset on the population of cigar orchid at BICY, based on extensive field surveys within the following seven regions: Fire Prairie Trail-East, Gator Hook Trail, Florida Trail, Nobles Grade, North of Tamiami Trail (mainly the Skillet Strand and Monument Lake), the Oasis strands, and North of I-75. These regions were chosen based on past or current known occurrences of cigar orchids. We conducted a total of 25 field searches of cigar orchids in BICY. We found a total of 85 cigar orchids and recorded their GPS locations along with their microhabitat information, including host tree species, host tree diameter at breast height, location of individual and orientation on host tree. The total search area across regions totaled 284.9 ha (705 acres).
- Type
- Published Report
- Authors
- Liu, Hong; Olivas, Paulo; Lange, James
- Date of Issue
- 2024-02
- Publisher
- National Park Service
- DOI
- 10.36967/2302454
- Units
- BICY , IMD , NRSS
- Keywords
- cigar orchid, cypress dome, endangered species, inventory, inventory and monitoring division, survey
- Subjects
- Ecological Framework: Biological Integrity | Focal Species or Communities | Forest/Woodland Communities , Ecological Framework: Biological Integrity | At-risk Biota | T&E Species and Communities