Erect stems 1–4 cm, not dendroid; sterile stems to 7 cm. Leaves: light green or yellow-green, moderately contorted when dry, flat when moist, obovate or sometimes elliptic, 2–6 mm; base long-decurrent; margins toothed from about mid leaf to apex, sometimes to just below mid leaf, teeth sharp, of 1–2(–3) cells; apex acuminate or acute, occasionally obtuse or rounded, short- to long-cuspidate, cusp toothed; costa percurrent, excurrent, or rarely subpercurrent; medial laminal cells ± isodiametric or short-elongate, 30–50(–60) µm, much smaller near margins, often less than 1/2 size, in longitudinal, not diagonal rows, not or weakly collenchymatous, walls not pitted; marginal cells linear, in 2–4 rows. Sexual: condition synoicous. Seta: 1–3(–4), yellow to reddish brown, 1.2–3 cm. Capsule: horizontal to pendent, ovoid or obovoid, 2–3 mm, neck not distinct; operculum conic-apiculate. Spores: 18–25 µm. Phenology: Capsules mature late spring.