This species is rare in the lowlands; commonly on soil, humus, rocks, also epiphytic. Plants medium sized, forming dense tufts, pale to dark green, reddish-brown. Stem erect, branched by innovations, radiculose. Leaves crowded, plane to contorted or crispate, erect-spreading when wet, ovate, lanceolate, apex acute to acuminate, base occasionally decurrent; costae single, subpercurrent; laminal cells smooth, upper and median cells rhomboidal-hexagonal or hexagonal; lower and basal cells short to long oblong or rectangular, marginal cells usually forming a distinct border of long linear cells. Setae elongate, smooth. Capsules horizontal to suberect, urn long oblong.