Plants small to medium-sized, 1–3(–4) cm high, yellowish to dark green, in rather shiny, loose tufts. Stems erect, simple or branched. Leaves 2–3 mm long, lower leaves smaller, upper leaves larger, erect to falcate-secund, oblong-lanceolate, gradually narrowed to a subulate acumen; margins plane, entire below, serrulate above the middle; costa shortly excurrent, filling most of the acumen, occupying ca. 1/3 leaf base width; upper cells short-rectangular, 7–10 µm × 4–6 µm; lower cells slightly shorter. Dioicous. Perichaetial leaves rather abruptly narrowed from a somewhat sheathing base. Setae straight, 8–15 mm long, yellowish brown, becoming dark reddish when old; capsules inclined to horizontal, short-cylindric, ca. 1.5 mm long, slightly curved, smooth and contracted below the mouth when dry; exothecial cells prosenchymatous; opercula obliquely long-rostrate, ca. 1 mm long; annuli poorly differentiated, consisting of only 1 row of small cells; peristome teeth ca. 500 µm long, divided about 1/3 – ½ down to the base, reddish brown. Spores 14–18 µm in diameter, finely papillose.

Type. Europe.

Chinese specimens examined: ANHUI: Huang Shan (Mt.), P.-C. Chen 7141 (IFSBH, PE). HAINAN: Diaoluo Shan (Mt.), C. Gao et al. 2842, 2865 (IFSBH). HEILONGJIANG: Hong Xing Forest Station, Vitt 34897 (ALTA, MO); Ning-an Co., C. Gao 6709 (MO); Xiao Xing An Ling (Lesser Khingan Mt.), C. Gao 527 (IFSBH, MO), C. Gao 8104 (IFSBH). HUBEI: Shen-nong-jia Forest Distr., 1980 Sino-American Exped. No. 1668a (MO); Tianqiaowan, L.-J. Bi 672 (IFSBH). HUNAN: Zhangjiajie, D.-K. Li 18243 (IFSBH, SHM). JILIN: An-tu Co., C. Gao 1120 (IFSBH, MO); Chang-bai Co., C. Gao 7285 (IFSBH); Jiao-he Co., C. Gao 1128 (MO). LIAONING: Ben-xi Co., C. Gao 13429 (MO). SICHUAN: Omei Shan (Mt.), C. Gao 19347 (IFSBH, MO); Mu-li Co., C. Gao 20520 (IFSBH). TAIWAN: Tai-pei Co., Schwabe s.n. (NICH). XIZANG: Mi-lin Co., Y.-G. Su 5089 (IFSBH). ZHEJIANG: Hang-zhou City, C.-H. Gao 7649 (IFSBH, SHM).

Habitat: on rotten wood, tree roots or sandy soil; Distribution: China, and widely distributed in the Northern Hemisphere.

Illustrations: C. Gao (ed.) 1994 (Pl. 54, figs. 12–18).