Dioicous. Tufts on soil. Stems 5–30 (–50) mm long, simple or sparingly branched. Leaves spreading sharply from top of leaf base when moist, ±erect with subula spirally twisted around its own axis when dry, contracted abruptly into linear subula from broad oblong sheathing base, 3–6.5 mm long, concave at base; apices acute; costae excurrent, occupying most of subula width; margins denticulate near apex otherwise entire, erect to incurved, without a border; cells of subula unistratose, rounded rectangular, 3–12 μm long, 3–4 μm wide, smooth; cells of leaf shoulder subquadrate, 2–10 μm long, 4–10 μm wide, smooth; cells of base unistratose, rectangular, 35–70 μm long, 3–5 (–8) μm wide. Setae 1–2.5 cm long, reddish-brown. Capsules erect, ellipsoid to obloid, symmetric or slightly curved, 1–2.5 mm long. Peristome of 16 undivided teeth. Opercula rostrate from conic base, 0.4–1.2 mm long.
GGr, HSF, HNF, VAlp. Mostly from the Victorian Alps in embankments or margins or tracks or watercourses in montane forests and the alpine zone. Also NSW, ACT and Tas. New Zealand.
