The white fringeless orchid is found in five states, but the population of the plant is small, isolated and is facing a wide array of threats across their range. This has forced the Fish and Wildlife Service to propose addition of the plant to the federal list of threatened and endangered species as a threatened species. The Service will not designate critical habitat for this plant because of the threat of collection.

A plant or animal can be listed as endangered under the Endangered Species Act of 1973. This means the plant or animal is in danger of becoming extinct, or threatened, and is likely to become endangered very soon.

The Service has found that the orchid is not facing extinction as low numbers have been observed at over half the known locations of orchid, while threats are there across the plant’s range. During a single growing season, less than 20% of occurrences have ever been observed to have over 100 flowering plants. If the plants are not managed properly, the plant’s range and abundance might continue to diminish.

The Service’s Southeast Regional Director, Cindy Dohner, said, “In proposing to list white fringeless orchid as threatened, we are acknowledging the severity of threats it faces, and hopefully sounding a warning that will bring increased conservation efforts needed to recover the plant before its situation becomes more dire”.