# Seedling Establishment of Dendrophylax lindenii Reintroduced In Situ: Implications for Conservation and Management of a Leafless Epiphytic Orchid

## TL;DR

A study tracked reintroduced ghost orchid seedlings for seven years, finding that only 15% survived and that nearby ferns increased mortality, highlighting challenges in conserving these rare plants.

## Contribution

This study provides long-term insights into the survival and reproduction of reintroduced leafless epiphytic orchids and identifies key ecological factors affecting their persistence.

## Key findings

- Only 18 (15%) of reintroduced Dendrophylax lindenii seedlings survived after 83 months.
- Orchids near ferns had 2–4 times higher mortality than those near mosses or lichens.
- No seed capsules matured, indicating sexual reproduction is a major bottleneck for population persistence.

## Abstract

Reintroduction is increasingly used to support declining plant species, particularly epi-phytic orchids that display complex ecological requirements. We evaluated the seven-year performance of 123 asymbiotically propagated ghost orchid (Dendrophylax lindenii) seedlings that were reintroduced into a natural pond-apple/pop ash slough on the Florida Panther National Wildlife Refuge. Annual monitoring of this leafless epiphytic species assessed survival, root attachment, and reproduction, with respect to host tree bark texture, host tree species, and neighboring epiphytes. Eighteen individuals (15%) persisted after 83 months, and median survival time was 47 months. Reintroduced orchids near ferns experienced 2–4-fold higher mortality compared with those near mosses, lichens, or other ghost orchids, while survival exceeded 36% at 71 months for individuals placed adjacent to bryophytes. Despite flowering in up to 19% of surviving individuals, no seed capsule reached maturity, indicating that sexual reproduction remains a major bottleneck for population persistence. However, low reproductive output and gradual attrition suggest that reintroduction alone is unlikely to produce self-sustaining populations without addressing the likely genetic constraints, the possible pollinator service constraints, and microsite drivers of persistence. This study highlights the importance of extended monitoring and microsite selection strategies for leafless epiphytic orchid conservation.