Stem erect, 3–10 (–20) cm tall. Leaves erect-spreading to patent when moist, appressed, rarely spreading when dry. Sheath 1.5–2.5 mm long, 1.5–2 mm wide, abruptly narrowed to lamina; cells narrowly linear, 80–150 μm long, 7–10 μm wide, smooth. Lamina linear, (4–) 6–10 (–15) mm long, 0.5–0.8 mm wide, plane, covered by lamellae 4–5 (–6) cells high over adaxial entire surface except marginal 1–3 rows of cells, obscuring underlying excurrent costa; lamellae cells quadrate-rectangular to hexagonal, smooth; apex acuminate; marginal cells rectangular, 15–25 μm long, 8–12 μm wide, smooth; margins sharply serrate, plane. Seta (1.5–) 2–3 cm long, brownish, smooth. Capsule erect, becoming inclined to horizontal, ovoid, straight, (3–) 4–6 mm long. Calyptra 10–20 mm long, enveloping the whole capsule and often the upper part of seta, barbed, with long ferruginous or dark brown hairs.
VRiv, GipP, CVU, GGr, EGL, EGU, HSF, HNF, HFE. In rainforests, wet sclerophyll forest and beside streams in rocky gorges and dry sclerophyll forest east of Melbourne with disjunct occurrences in the Grampians. Also QLD and NSW.
