Plants 8--20 mm. Stem leaves erect and loosely flexuose to contorted-flexuose when dry, linear-lanceolate, 2--3.2 mm, acuminate (sometimes bluntly so) or acute; margins recurved to near apex, sometimes reflexed above, entire; distal laminal cells 7--11 µm wide, 1-stratose, smooth or bluntly papillose; basal laminal cells linear-elongate to long-rectangular, non-nodose. Sexual condition goniautoicous. Seta (1.5--)2.5--6 mm. Capsule exserted to long-exserted; urn ovate-oblong when mature, elliptic-cylindric when old, 2.5--6 mm, 8-ribbed entire length; stomates numerous, immersed, in neck; proximal and middle portion of capsule 1/3--2/3 covered by strongly differentiated subsidiary cells; peristome double; endostome segments usually 16, rarely 8 (sometimes 8 long and 8 short), of 1 row of cells, smooth or finely roughened; exostome teeth 8, erect when mature, reflexed when old, very finely and densely papillose on outside, finely striate on inner surface. Calyptra oblong-conic to short-conic, naked or rarely sparsely hairy. Spores 12--14 µm.

Tree trunks and branches in coniferous forests, sometimes found on boulders in shaded habitats; low elevations; B.C.; Alaska, Calif., Idaho, Oreg., Wash.; Europe.

Orthotrichum consimile is distinguished from superficially similar species of Ulota by its glabrous calyptra, immersed stomates, and undifferentiated basal leaf cells. From O. pulchellum, it differs by having stomates confined to the proximal portion of the capsule and an exostome of 8 yellowish teeth that are finely papillose on the outer surface and finely striate on the inner. Also, O. consimile is much larger and has capsules that are long-exserted and constricted beneath the mouth when old and dry.