Plants 0.5-1 cm. Stem leaves stiff, erect-appressed or slightly flexuose when dry, lanceolate, 1.8-2.4 mm; margins recurved to just below apex, entire; apex acute; basal laminal cells rectangular, walls thin, not nodose; distal cells 8-12 µm, 1-stratose, smooth or papillae 1-3 per cell, conic, lo w. Specialized asexual reproduction by gemmae on abaxial surface of leaves. Sexual condition gonioautoicous. <Vaginula with hairs present>. Seta 0.7-1.5 mm. Capsule emergent, elliptic-cylindric and strangulate, 0.8-1.5 mm, strongly 8-ribbed, , constricted below mouth when dry; stomata immersed, <1/2 to completely covered by subsidiary cells, cells projecting, inner walls thickened>; peristome double; prostome absent; exostome teeth 8, reflexed to revolute when old and dry, finely and evenly papillose; endostome segments 8 or 16, well developed, of 1 or 2 rows of cells, exterior surface smooth or finely striate. Calyptra oblong, smooth, rarely naked or hairs few, hairs variably smooth or papillose by projecting walls. Spores 10-15 µm.

Trees; low to moderate elevations (10-500 m); Nfld. and Labr. (Nfld.); Europe; Asia.

Orthotrichum stramineum distinguished by its rather long, elliptic (fat), strongly ribbed capsules that are strangulate. The hairy vaginula and the shape of the capsule separate O. stramineum from O. stellatum.