Plants: (1–)2–9(–13) cm, in compact or loose tufts, brownish proximally, bright to yellowish green distally. Leaves: crisped to imbricate (and occasionally inrolled) when dry, erect-patent to spreading when moist, (1.5–)2–8(–12) mm, 0.5–1.2 mm wide at mid-limb; cells of the sheath lamina longer and narrower near the margins, shorter and broader near the limb-sheath transition, smooth on the adaxial surface, smooth or with a series of linearly-arranged, large round papillae on the abaxial surface of the lumens. Sexual: condition monoicous or dioicous; male gametophyte (in dioicous taxa) monopodial, with the stem continuing growth through terminal perigonia; paraphyses few, of 10–15(–40) cells, filiform, with fusiform tips; archegonia 1–6 per perichaetium, ca. 1–2 mm; antheridia 5–40 per perigonium, ca. 1–2 mm. Capsule: ca. 2.5–3 × 1–1.5 mm; exothecial cells with smooth or sinuose walls; peristome diplolepideous; exostome teeth 0.5–1 mm, yellow in proximal half, pale or hyaline distally; endostome hyaline or yellowish, with a high basal membrane about half the height of the exostome, and 64 irregularly anastomosing, nodose cilia papillose externally and smooth or appendiculate on the interior surface. Spores: round, finely papillose, pale yellow or brown, 13–22 µm. North America, Eurasia, n Africa, Pacific Islands (Hawaii, New Zealand) in arctic, boreal, montane, and temperate areas.

Species 4 (4 in the flora).