Chamorchis is a monotypic genus of flowering plants in the orchid family, Orchidaceae (order Asparagales). It contains a single known species, Chamorchis alpina, commonly known as the alpine dwarf orchid, false orchid, or false musk orchid.
The genus is found in subarctic and subalpine regions of Europe, including Scandinavia, the Alps, the Carpathians, and northern European Russia. As a member of the Orchidaceae, it belongs to one of the largest families of flowering plants, though Chamorchis itself is a small, ground-dwelling orchid adapted to cold, high-altitude and high-latitude environments.
The genus was established as a distinct taxon within the orchid family, recognized in major orchid taxonomic references including Genera Orchidacearum (Pridgeon et al., 2001) and the Handbuch der Orchideen-Namen (Berg Pana, 2005).
Distribution
Chamorchis is native to subarctic and subalpine parts of Europe. Its range includes Scandinavia, the Alps, the Carpathian Mountains, and northern European Russia. It is a cold-adapted genus restricted to high-latitude and high-altitude habitats.
