Species: Southern twayblade (Neottia bifolia)
In May 2021, I was botanizing at one of my favorite local patches in southeastern Massachusetts when I came across a diminutive plant with paired leaves that I didn’t recognize. As a novice plant enthusiast, I turned to iNaturalist for help, and Peter Grima suggested it might be a Neottia orchid—potentially Neottia bifolia, which wasn’t known from the mainland in Massachusetts. Excited by the possibility, I returned as soon as I could and was able to confirm the identification. Afterward, I contacted the state botanist, Robert Wernerehl, and together with Doug McGrady we surveyed the area, finding hundreds of plants. Along with finding cool plants, I also made several new friends and had my first exposure to the New England Botanical Society. You never know where a plant will take you!
About me: I am a lover of all things in nature living in the Monadnock Region of New Hampshire, and work as an Ecologist for the Harris Center for Conservation Education and a Field Botanist for Moosewood Ecological. While I have the most knowledge of birds and plants of the Northeast, I’m actively working to learn our local mushrooms and insects, with many more groups still on my bucket list.
