Plants: medium-sized, green to yellow-green, shiny. Stems: 0.8–3.5 cm. Leaves: erect to ± spreading, long-lanceolate, 1.5–2.6 mm; margins serrulate to serrate in distal 1/3; costa subpercurrent or percurrent; distal medial laminal cells linear- rhomboidal, vermicular, firm, 80–140 µm, walls thin. : Specialized asexual reproduction absent. Sexual: condition paroicous; perichaetial leaves gradually differentiated, ± long-lanceolate. Seta: orange to orange-brown. Capsule: inclined 10–90°, stramineous to orange-brown, long- and slender-pyriform, neck 1/2–1 time urn length; exothecial cells elongate-rectangular, walls straight; stomata superficial; annulus present; operculum conic; exostome teeth yellow to brown, acute-triangular; endostome hyaline, basal membrane 1/4–1/2 exostome length, segments narrowly keeled, narrowly to not perforate, cilia absent to rudimentary. Spores: 16–23 µm, distinctly roughened. Phenology: Capsules mature spring–summer (Apr–Jul).
Humus-rich soil banks, along streams and paths. moderate to high elevations. Greenland, Alta., B.C., Nfld. and Labr., N.W.T., Ont., Yukon, Alaska, Mont., N.H., N.Y., N.C., Oreg., Pa., Tenn., Utah, Va., Wyo., Mexico, Eurasia.
Pohlia longicolla, relatively rare in North America, is a handsome species characterized by relatively large, very shiny, long-lanceolate leaves. The plants are bisexual (paroicous) and commonly form sporophytes. The sporophytes have long necks, like those of P. elongata, and like that species, the endostomial segments are narrowly or not at all perforate and cilia are absent or rudimentary.