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Amateur botanist Syke van der Laan discovered while hiking in the Berkshires recently. He wasn't sure what it was but realized its significance and alerted the Massachusetts Division of Fisheries and Wildlife, who were thrilled at the find.
“The discovery of a new native plant here in Massachusetts is extraordinary,” said MassWildlife’s State Botanist Robert Wernerehl. “We have more active professional botanists per square mile than almost any other state, so these types of discoveries are rare — yet they do happen.”
Aside from being rare, pine-drops are also quite unique. It contains no chlorophyll, the part of a plant that converts sunlight into energy. The plant relies on fungi in the soil to feed it, MassWildLIfe said.
Pine-drops are commonly found in the Rocky Mountains in the West, but there are small patches of it growing in New Hampshire, New York, and Vermont. Though, they are considered endangered in the Northeast.
It's unclear how the plant made it to Massachusetts or if there are more growing in the state.
“The pine-drops prefers dry pine forests, and we have plenty of that,” Wernerehl said. “We’re grateful to the sharp eyes and careful observations of naturalists like Skye that help us expand our understanding of biodiversity in the Commonwealth.”
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