Stems 1-pinnate, smooth; paraphyllia to ca. 8 cells long, cells ca. 1:1, all sparingly papillose. Stem leaves flexuosely incurved when dry, ovate-triangular, (0.3--)0.5--0.6 mm, ± abruptly short-acuminate; costa disappearing in the acumen but not filling it. Branch leaves strongly incurved when dry, ± 2-ranked, often laxly disposed, ca. 0.5 mm, obtuse to acute; costa ca. 7/8 the leaf length, often ± flexuose, not covered with quadrate cells. Perichaetial leaves laxly serrulate above, subentire below or with a few coarse, blunt teeth. Seta papillose throughout; endostomial cilia single, rarely with rudimentary additional one.

Capsules mature Nov.--Dec.(--Mar.). Lowland, moist forests, growing over limestone, soil, humus, rotten wood; 0 m; s Fla.; Mexico, Central America, n South America; West Indies.

The once-pinnate stems, strongly incurved leaves, non-ciliate perichaetial leaves and rough seta are distinctive. The aspect is quite different from the other species in the genus. It occurs between 0 and 1000 m south of the flora area.