Plants scattered in abundant protonemata, green. Stems virtually lacking. Leaves erect, linear-lanceolate, rarely with narrow, toothed shoulders, gradually and slenderly acuminate, (1--)1.3(--2.0) ´ (0.15--)0.2(--0.26) mm, margins plane, entire or with short single or double teeth distally. Sexual condition synoicous or dioicous. Capsule cleistocarpous or rarely dehiscing by a ring of differentiated cells distal to the equator, yellow- to orange-brown, globose or slightly flattened, slightly apiculate; exothecial cells in 2 layers, stomates numerous and confined to proximal half. Spores fewer than 100, various shapes, proximal face not concave, (50--)67(--84) ´ (40--)56(--66) µm, red-brown or dark brown.

Capsules mature year around. Soil in shaded ravines, drying mud, clay in dry sloughs; 5--100 m; known from 5 or fewer localities: La., Tex.; West Indies (Cuba).

Although the leaves of M. wrightii are most accurately described as ecostate, the largest leaves may have suggestions of a costa. Some have merely thick-walled cells in the median part of the leaf, and others may have + 3 median, undifferentiated cells in a double layer.