Plants light- to yellow-green, in thin to dense mats. Stems with 2--4 rows of thick-walled cells surrounding larger thick-walled cells, central strand of thin-walled cells. Leaves somewhat contorted when dry, plane or sometimes falcate-secund; ventral branch leaves to 1.1 mm, ovate to oblong-ovate, apex apiculate to acuminate; distal cells lax, hexagonal to oblong-rhomboidal, 2.5--5:1, thick- to thin-walled, basal cells more elongate, alar cells not or only slightly differentiated; dorsal and lateral branch leaves to 1.1 mm, ovate, broadly oblong-ovate to ovate-lanceolate, apex acute to acuminate; distal cells hexagonal, oblong-hexagonal to somewhat rhomboidal, 2.3--4.1:1, generally thick-walled, marginal cells noticeably narrower, basal cells more elongate, alar cells not or only slightly differentiated. Sexual condition autoicous. Seta 13--21 mm. Capsules to 0.9 mm, horizontal or nearly so, sometimes pendent, often contracted just proximal to the mouth, peristome teeth brown.

Shaded, moist soil, humus, logs, or rocks, occasionally submerged rocks in running water; c and s Fla., La; Mexico; Central America; South America.

This species has been introduced in greenhouses, for example, the Missouri Botanical Garden Climatron, and on sides of goldfish pools in California.