Noteworthy Collections: Rare Species Documented from Streamside Bogs of the Martin's Fork Watershed, Cumberland Gap National Historical Park, Bell County, Kentucky

Martin's Fork is a 32-mile tributary to the Cumberland River that originates in the remote back-country wilderness of Cumberland Gap National Historical Park (CUGA) and flows through Bell and Harlan counties, Kentucky. Within CUGA, this shallow stream slowly meanders through a narrow, montane valley (730 m) between the ridges of Cumberland and Brush Mountains. This valley is primarily forested with healthy eastern hemlocks (Tsuga canadensis) and various hardwoods, and is characterized by the presence of several globally rare streamside bogs (G2; CEGL007771). These “bogs” are influenced by both groundwater and precipitation, with slow-draining hydric soils along a low gradient slope and thus could also be described as poor fens. In addition to the multiple known occurrences of state rare species such as Eriophorum virginicum (S1), Juncus subcaudatus (S1), and Oclemena acuminata (S2), we documented two new species of conservation concern in streamside bogs of the Martin's Fork watershed: the federally-listed Platanthera integrilabia (G2/ S1), a first for the Central Appalachians Level III Ecoregion, and Isoëtes valida, a state record for Kentucky.