Cleistesiopsis bifaria

Following Pansarin and Brown (2009) and Weakley et al. (2024), Cleistesiopsis bifaria is an inland species, distinct from C. oricamporum. "Those (plants) of the mountain counties in W. Virginia, Virginia, Kentucky, Tennessee, Virginia, South Carolina, and Georgia are Cleistes bifaria and those plants from the coastal and nearby piedmont counties of Virginia, North Carolina, South Carolina, Georgia, Florida, Alabama, Mississippi, Louisiana, and a possible record for Texas would all be referable to Cleistesiopsis oricamporum" (Pansarin and Brown 2009). C. oricamporum and C. divaricata are phenologically separated where they co-occur (Weakley et al. 2024). Kartesz (1994, 1999) pre-dates the description of Cleistesiopsis oricamporum and recognized a broader concept of Cleistes bifaria.

Cleistesiopsis bifaria is a widespread but uncommon orchid that is endemic to the southeastern United States where it occurs from West Virginia south through Virginia, Kentucky, North Carolina, Tennessee, South Carolina, Georgia. and Alabama. Threats to this species include fire suppression, habitat degradation and loss, pests, and invasive species. This species habitat has declined in quality over decades due to habitat succession as a result of fire suppression. Plants are persist in a vegetative stage in unfavorable habitat until disturbance opens the canopy and removes competing vegetation.

Cleistesiopsis bifaria is endemic to the southeastern United States, where it occurs in the mountains of West Virginia, western Virginia, eastern Kentucky, western North Carolina, eastern and central Tennessee, western South Carolina, and northern Georgia and Alabama. Range extent was estimated with GeoCAT using NatureServe Network occurrence data, herbarium records, photo-based observation data (iNaturalist 2022, SEINet 2022, Bachman et al. 2011).

Based on NatureServe Network occurrence data, herbarium records, photo-based observations, and anecdotal evidence, there are between 81 and 300 occurrences rangewide (iNaturalist 2022, NatureServe 2022, SEINet 2022, Weakley and Southeastern Flora Team 2022). This inconspicuous species can be difficult to detect, especially in earlier life stages, in vegetative stages, or as a result of prolonged dormancy (Gregg 2011, Kéry ang Gregg 2003).

This species is somewhat threatened by land-use conversion, habitat destruction/fragmentation, forest management practices, competition with invasive species, and habitat succession. It benefits from prescribed burns, as lack of fire this may be its foremost threat (NAOCC 2022, Southern Appalachian Species Viability Project 2002). Development is one cause of habitat loss but it also influences fire suppression. This species favors areas with lower canopy cover and shrubby growth (NAOCC 2022). Some anthropogenic disturbances (mechanical removal of vegetation, including mowing, right of way or utility maintenance) may create suitable habitat but these influences are unreliable and could easily create unfavorable conditions or mortality to the species. In addition, predatory aphids inhabit flowers and eat pollen from sacks prior to buds opening. Researchers conducting supplemental pollination have had a hard time finding pollen to conduct crossing (C. Radcliffe, pers. comm., 2022).