Moist calcareous rock ledges, faces, crevices, in depressions, edges of streams, humus, seepage areas of talus slopes, ice wedge polygons, hummocks, dung, alpine and arctic tundra. low to high elevations (0-3900 m). Greenland, Alta., B.C., Man., Nfld. and Labr., N.W.T., Nunavut, Ont., Que., Yukon, Alaska, Colo., Mont., n, c Europe, n Asia (Russia), Atlantic Islands (Iceland).
Variety chryseum is characterized by robust stems 3 mm wide and over 4 cm long, and distinctly golden, plicate leaves with short-acuminate points. This variety is by far the most common Orthothecium in North America. Sporophytes are rarely produced.