Threatened orchid found in Vermont for the first time in more than a century

A federally threatened species of orchid that hasn't been confirmed in Vermont since 1902 has been found, the Vermont Department of Fish and Wildlife said.

Department botanists confirmed that a population of small whorled pogonia has been documented on Winooski Valley Park District conservation land in Chittenden County. To protect them, officials won't say exactly where the orchids were found. 

"Discovering a viable population of a federally threatened species unknown in our state for over a century is astounding," said Vermont Fish and Wildlife Department Botanist Bob Popp.