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In Europe this genus is represented by just two species, the most familiar of which is T. globosa, a
distinctive orchid once included in the Orchis group. Molecular
sequencing subsequently determined that it should be reclassified and
the genus Traunsteinera was
duly created. This is an isolated genus whose closest relationship is
with the morphologically dissimilar but fellow mountain dwelling genus
Chamorchis.
The second species within Traunsteinera is T. sphaerica which differs from T. globosa
mainly in lip shape and the colour of the flower, which is usually a
greenish cream. Many taxonomists do not regard this plant as a
species in its own right, preferring to consider it as a geographic ecotype within the same species.The
leaves do not form a basal rosette, are narrow and arranged up the stem
in decreasing size.
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