Plants: to 2.5 mm. Leaves: ligulate to lingulate, 1-2.8 mm, margins entire, undifferentiated at base, apex cucullate to nearly open; costa subpercurrent to percurrent, filaments of 3-6 cells, cells subspheric; cells of leaf base 15-64 µm, medial and distal cells 11-24 µm, occasionally with large solid papillae at leaf tip. Sexual condition dioicous or rhizoautoicous. Seta 5.5-12.5 mm. Capsule urn cylindric, 1.5-3 mm; operculum campanulate, 1-1.4 mm; peristome 600-1200 µm, strongly twisted. Spores 13-24 µm.

Varieties 2 (1 in the flora): sw United States, Mexico, Europe, n Africa, Asia, Atlantic Islands (Canary Islands), Australia.