Plants: large, scattered individuals or open turfs, usually pale green. Leaves: shrunken to imbricate or somewhat contorted when dry, erect-spreading when moist; laminal cells 2–4:1. Seta: yellowish, becoming red-brown with age, long, straight. Capsule: brown; exothecial cells near mouth quadrate or short-rectangular, walls thick, often reddish, in 4 or 5 rows; proximal cells longer, long-rectangular, walls somewhat sinuate. Spores: 10–18 µm, smooth to finely papillose, pale yellow-brown. w North America.