Calopogon multiflorus

Calopogon multiflorus is considered the correct name for this orchid in modern treatments (FNA 2002, Kartesz 1994, Weakley and Southeastern Flora Team 2025). This species has had a variety of different scientific names (Lindley 1840, Ames 1908, Brummitt 2000, Correll 1950, Goldman 1998, Goldman 2000, Kuntz 1891, Mohr 1897, Rafinesque 1833, Small 1905, Walter 1788). This complicated history has been studied (Goldman 1998, Goldman 2000) and is explained and summarized in a status survey (Schotz 2004).

Many-flower Grass-pink (Calopogon multiflorus) occurs in the southeastern United States, it is a Southeastern Coastal Plain endemic plant. Its range extends through most of Florida and was formerly described as common in central Florida. It is rare and known only from scattered, small occurrences on the Outer Coastal Plain in southeastern Louisiana, southern Mississippi, southern Alabama, southeast Georgia, eastern South Carolina, and southeastern North Carolina. This is a pink flowered terrestrial orchid which requires fire to open up its habitat and stimulate flowering. Historically, it was described as common in central Florida, but as of 2004 only about 6000 plants were estimated to remain in that state. Much of this species' habitat has been destroyed by land-use conversion (to pine plantations or for development), habitat fragmentation, and lack of fire. To some degree, these threats continue to impact the species. It is known from the Apalachicola, Croatan, Francis Marion, and Osceola National Forests, Grand Bay and Mississippi Sandhill Crane National Wildlife Refuges, and Big Cypress National Preserve. It also occurs on lands of the Department of Defense, State Forests, and Wildlife Management Areas in Florida and a couple other states. The frequency of prescribed burning required for this species to thrive may not be feasible on all of these sites, in part due to nearby development which adds to prescribed fire complexity.

Many-flower Grass-pink (Calopogon multiflorus) occurs in the southeastern United States, it is a Southeastern Coastal Plain endemic plant. Its range extends through most of Florida (Luer 1972) and was formerly described as common in central Florida (Wunderlin 1982). In other southeastern states, it is rare and known only from scattered, small occurrences on the Outer Coastal Plain in southeastern Louisiana, southern Mississippi, southern Alabama, southeastern Georgia, eastern South Carolina, and southeastern North Carolina (FNA 2002, Weakley and Southeastern Flora Team 2025). Range extent was estimated to be 564000 square kilometers, using herbarium specimens, photo-based observations, and NatureServe Network occurrence data collected between 1994 and 2025 (GBIF 2025, iNaturalist 2025, NatureServe 2025, RARECAT 2025, SEINet 2025).

By applying a 1 km separation distance to herbarium specimens, photo-based observations, and NatureServe Network occurrence data documented between 1994 and 2025, it is estimated that there are about 125 (and between 81 and 300) occurrences of Calopogon multiflorus rangewide (GBIF 2025, iNaturalist 2025, NatureServe 2025, RARECAT 2025, SEINet 2025). Most extant occurrences are in Florida, but there are others scattered through the southeastern Outer Coastal Plain. While Luer (1972) shows an extensive range throughout Florida and there are many herbarium specimens, the number of known populations has declined.

Many-flower Grass-pink (Calopogon multiflorus) is highly threatened by land-use conversion and habitat fragmentation (resulting from conversion to pine plantations or for development) as well as incompatible forest management practices such as clearcutting, draining, bedding, roller chopping (especially deep or double chop) and lack of fire (Southern Appalachian Species Viability Project 2002, Chafin 2008, FNAI 2025).