Plants in loose tufts. Stems 8-18 cm, scarcely tomentose. Leaves strongly falcate-secund, somewhat sparse; margins nearly entire; costa almost smooth on abaxial surface; proximal laminal cells elongate, (19--)42--54(--84) ´ (5--)7--9(--12) µm; distal laminal cells irregularly rounded, elliptic or short-rectangular, (7--)9--19(--36) ´ (4--)8--9(--13) µm. Seta 2.5--3.5 cm.

Capsules mature in summer. Moist humus banks, humus on coniferous forest floors, and bogs on small conifers (often black spruce); 900--1300 m; n B.C., N.W.T., Que., Yukon; Europe.

This is an Arctic-alpine variety that needs further collecting and study to determine its taxonomic status. J. Kucyniak (D. Löve et al. 1958) called attention to it in the Quebec bryoflora (G. Bellolio-Trucco and R. R. Ireland 1990) and many European bryologists recognize it as a form (W. Mönkemeyer 1927), variety (J. Podpêra 1954; L. I. Savich-Lyubitskaya and Z. N. Smirnova 1970; V. M. Melnichuk 1970) or species (E. Nyholm 1986). It is immediately noticed because of the large size of the plants whose stems are up to 18 cm, sparsely foliated with strongly falcate-secund leaves, and the long seta, 2.5--3.5 cm. It is further recognized microscopically by the irregular shape of the distal leaf cells, the nearly entire leaf margins, and the costa almost smooth on the abaxial surface.