Stems to 1.2 cm. Leaves firm when wet, long-ovate to ligulate, 0.5-1.8(-2) mm, base often elliptic, widened not strongly sheathing, margins plane or weakly recurved to mid leaf, apex broadly acute to rounded, apiculate or occasionally muticous; costa percurrent or ending 1-4 cells before the apex, abaxial costal surface doubly prorate (rough by projections at each end of superficial cells), often also with simple or 2-fid papillae, hydroids absent; distal laminal cells firm-walled, quadrate, 7-10 µm wide, 1:1, papillose. Specialized asexual reproduction by gemmae borne on stalks in leaf axils. Perichaetial leaves obtuse to broadly acute, strongly sheathing and convolute. Seta 1-1.8 cm. Theca 0.8-1.2 mm. Spores 10-12 µm.

Varieties 2 (2 in the flora): North America, Mexico, West Indies, Central America, South America, Asia, Africa, Australia.

Sporophytes of Barbula indica are rare in the flora area (collection date of the single fruiting collection seen not given). The distal laminal margins are usually plane and the abaxial surface of the costa is prorate, i.e., papillose by projecting ends of cell walls, often forming doubled projections, but sometimes additionally papillose by simple or 2-fid papillae.

Leaves narrowly oval to elliptic, margins plane or weakly recurved at mid leaf. Specialized asexual reproduction by small, green, obovoid gemmae occurring in masses in distal leaf axils, of several cells, 70-90 µm.

Soil, clay, limestone, cement, walls; low to moderate elevations (50-1000 m); N.W.T.; Ala., Alaska, Ariz., Fla., Ga., Ill., Iowa, Kans., Ky., La., Minn., Miss., Mo., N.Mex., N.C., Ohio, Okla., S.C., Tenn., Tex., Utah, Va.; Mexico; West Indies; Central America; South America; Europe (Hungary); Asia; Africa; Pacific Islands (Hawaii); Australia..

Capsules of var. indica are rare in the flora area but mature in summer in Mexico. The gemmae are usually small and obovoid, but in some specimens are somewhat enlarged and branching. The typical variety is commonly fruiting; the seta is reddish, unlike that of Barbula convoluta, which is yellow. This species is often misidentified as B. unguiculata in the southeastern states, but viewed from the side, the abaxial costal papillae form rows across the costa, lined up as they are at both ends of epidermal cells. A hygrophylic variant may be confused with B. bolleana when incrusted with lime but its leaf cells are much smaller. The Alaskan station is clearly of this variety, though the prorulae are poorly developed, being replaced with dense simple to 2-fid papillae; the Northwest Territories specimen is more clearly of the standard morphotype.