Plants in lax to dense tufts, greenish to yellowish brown. Stems 15 cm. Leaves crisped when dry, erect-spreading or sometimes secund when moist, narrowly lanceolate to linear, 4-7 mm; base laxly sheathing, shoulders well developed, firm; margins revolute from shoulders to high in acumen, denticulate in shoulders, spinose-dentate distally, teeth paired; apex long-subulate; costa excurrent, prominent, distal abaxial surface rough; basal laminal cell walls thin; medial and distal cells 5-12 × 4(-10) µm, prorulae high. Sexual condition autoicous or synoicous. Seta 0.2(-0.8) cm, curved. Capsule inclined, subglobose to pyriform, asymmetric, 1.5(-2.5) mm; operculum conic convex; peristome double; exostome teeth 500-550 µm, granulose proximally, papillose distally; endostome basal membrane high, segments slightly shorter than teeth, striate papillose, cilia rudimentary. Spores 15-24 µm. mature Jun-Sep. Crevices of shaded cliffs, rock outcrops in humid forests; moderate elevations (200-500 m); Alta., B.C.; s South America; Europe; Asia; Pacific Islands (Hawaii, New Zealand); Australia (Tasmania).

Bartramia halleriana quite similar vegetatively to robust forms of B. pomiformis. However, the short, curved seta as long as or slightly longer than the capsule is distinctive.