Published in Kew Bulletin 26 (1): 171. 1971. Basionym is Orchis diantha Schlechter, 1924, published in Särtyk ur Meddelanden från Göteborgs Botaniska Trädgård (Acta Horti Gothoburgensis) 1:131. 1924. The taxon is based on specimens collected by Harry Smith in Huanglong valley on July 20, and 23, 1922.

         Often Galearis diantha is treated as a synonym of Galearis spathulata (Lindley) P.F. Hunt, 1971. However it differs in having two leaves, regularly two flowers which are larger than in G. spathulata with spreading sepals and half- spreading petals, smaller stigmatic lobes and a narrower and longer anther with narrow thecae. G. diantha often forms colonies which can reach considerable sizes in the Huanglong valley. Typical growing sites are open shrub and forest margins on soil with a shallow layer of humus or moss at altitudes between 2900-3400 m. None-flowering specimens often have just a single leaf, flowering specimens are two-leafed. Rarely three flowers occur on very strong plants. The plant's height is between 6-10 cm, in exceptional specimens it can be 15 cm or a little more. The usually paired flower has a diameter of 1.4-1.8 cm.

         Flowering: late June - July.

        二叶匍茎兰和匙叶匍茎兰Galearis spathulata (Lindley) P.F. Hunt, 1971曾被认为是同一物种，但其实这两种匍茎兰是不同的。二叶匍茎兰通常有两枚叶片，花序上着生两朵花，花较匙叶匍茎兰的花大一些，而匙叶匍茎兰的萼片舒展， 花瓣是半舒展， 柱头裂片小，花药狭长，药室狭窄。二叶匍茎兰为克隆植物， 可形成大小相当可观的植物丛。在黄龙沟它主要生长于土层浅薄富含腐殖质的开阔灌丛、林缘，或者苔藓中，海拔一般为2900-340 0米。不开花的植株通常只有一枚叶片，而开花植株有两枚叶片。少数生长十分健壮的植株有三枚叶片。植株高通常为6-10厘米，少数能长到15厘米或者更高一些。大多数情况下，每一花序上着生两朵花，花直径一般为1.4-1.8厘米。

        花期：6月下旬至7月。