Plants 3--10 mm. Stem leaves erect-appressed when dry, lanceolate-oblong to oblong, 0.7--1.3 mm, rounded-obtuse to abruptly tapering to a broadly acute apex; margins reflexed to broadly recurved, entire; distal laminal cells 7--13 µm wide, 1-stratose, with conical or c-shaped papillae; basal laminal cells irregularly rounded. Sexual condition goniautoicous. Seta less than 5 mm. Capsule immersed or slightly emergent, urn ovate-oblong, less than 1 mm, distinctly 8-ribbed to the base when dry; peristome double; endostome segments 8, as wide as exostome teeth, granulate-papillose; exostome teeth 16, spreading or reflexed when dry, papillose to cross-striolate below, papillose to vertically or reticulately striolate above. Calyptra short-conic, naked or with a few hairs near tip. Spores 17--20 µm.

Base of trees or on tree trunks; 10--200 m; Ga., N.C., S.C., Tenn., Va.; e Asia.

The distal leaf cells with bulging walls and c-shaped papillae; delicate, hyaline endostome; clavate stems; papillose, quadrate basal cells; differentiated perichaetial leaves; and capsules that are widest at the mouth, with 16, reflexed exostome teeth, separate this species from all others.