Plant hidden in Vermont for 108 years rediscovered thanks to botanist's keen eye

What's all the commotion about this tiny and elusive floodplain herb? Vermont Fish & Wildlife said that the significance of this discovery lies in where it was found again.

 Never in over a century has a botanist in Vermont seen a tiny floodplain herb until now.

It's all thanks to the keen eyesight of the state's newest plant scientist, Grace Glynn, who had been on the hunt for the false mermaid-weed (Floerkea proserpinacoides) since starting her job about a year ago, the Vermont Fish and Wildlife Department said. The last discovery was recorded in 1916.

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Botanist Grace Glynn inspects a handful of rich floodplain soil for false mermaid-weed seeds, shaded by the canopy of ostrich ferns.

(Joshua Morse/Vermont Fish & Wildlife)

Earlier this spring, the agency said Glynn's hard work and dedication paid off when she noticed a small sprig of the elusive plant in the background of a photo of another rare plant sent in by a colleague.

Glynn quickly visited the site and confirmed the presence of false mermaid-weed on private streamside land in Addison County. After a subsequent visit, she was able to locate more of the rare plant species on public conservation land just downstream of the original site. 

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You'd never know it to look at it, but underneath this sea of ostrich ferns (for scale, that's botanist Grace Glynn wading through the middle), false mermaid-weed is busily dispersing its seeds.

(Joshua Morse/Vermont Fish & Wildlife)

"As you can see from our photos, individual false mermaid-weed plants are absolutely tiny, with flowers as small as the head of a pin," the agency said.

False mermaid-weed is tiny. The flowers are smaller than the head of a pin. 

(Joshua Morse/Vermont Fish & Wildlife)

Despite its small size, botanists say false mermaid-weed can form a thick ground cover in the appropriate habitat from early spring until the ferns emerge and shade it out in late May and early June. 

Making them even harder to find, false mermaid-weed is both a spring ephemeral and an annual, Vermont Fish & Wildlife said.

What's all the fuss about this tiny plant?

Vermont Fish & Wildlife say a big importance of this discovery has to do with where it was rediscovered. 

"False mermaid-weed is a floodplain plant, and historic populations are believed to have been destroyed by some common challenges facing Vermont's floodplains: extreme floods, invasive species, and development," the agency notes.

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The next generation of false mermaid-weed will outlive its parents. These tiny seeds will stay nestled beneath the withered stems of this year's adult plants. They'll germinate under the snow and pop up next spring.

(Joshua Morse/Vermont Fish & Wildlife)

The recently rediscovered population of false mermaid-weed has been able to thrive in high-quality habitats on both private and protected land for 108 years. This shows that responsible landowners and conservation organizations can truly make a positive impact.