: Secondary stems densely 2-pinnate to flagelliform or irregularly pinnate; paraphyllia present; pseudoparaphyllia subfoliose. Stem: leaves appressed or erect when dry, spreading when moist, oval to oblong-elliptic; margins plane or recurved on one side proximally, entire; apex obtuse or occasionally broadly acute; costa single, 50–70% leaf length, or double, short; alar region weakly differentiated; medial laminal cells isodiametric. Branch: leaves similar, often smaller. Sexual: condition dioicous; perichaetial leaf apex squarrose. [Seta 1.5–2 mm. Capsule: erect, emergent, ovoid to oblong-ellipsoid; stomata absent; operculum obliquely rostrate; exostome teeth connate at base, linear-lanceolate, spiculose; endostome rudimentary. Calyptra: hairy. Spores: 12–15 µm, brownish yellow]. Colo., South America, Eurasia, n, s, c Africa, Pacific Islands (New Zealand), e Australia, temperate regions.
Species 4 (1 in the flora). The paraphyses are 2-seriate in Leptodon, but 1-seriate in Forsstroemia.