His description was based on an Australian collection and in its strict sense Trichoglossum walteri may be restricted to the southern hemisphere.

The name was, however, adopted for collections with similar microscopic features in North and South America, Europe, and Asia.

[2] North temperate collections differ in being larger, up to 100 mm (4 in) tall, and in having shorter ascospores, 75–85 × 4.5–5.5 μm.

In European grassland, the short-spored earthtongue is most easily confused with the much commoner Trichoglossum hirsutum which has longer spores that become 15-septate at maturity.

In Europe the short-spored earthtongue is typical of waxcap grasslands, a declining habitat due to changing agricultural practices.