Plants rather robust, 4–10(–12) cm high, green to yellowish green or dull green, somewhat glossy, in compact tufts. Stems erect or ascending, often branched. Leaves 4–6 mm long, erect-patent, upper leaves falcate-secund, lanceolate, gradually narrowed from an ovate base to an subulate acumen toward the apex; margins plane, entire or serrulate near the apex; costa weak and slender, percurrent to shortly excurrent, papillose at the apex; upper cells elongate-rectangular, smooth, more or less porose; basal cells short-rectangular to rounded-rectangular; alar cells quadrate, inflated, forming distinctly auricles, dark brown, extending close to the costa. Autoicous. Androecia closely below the perichaetia. Perichaetial leaves large, sheathing at base. Setae ca. 1.5 cm long, straight, yellowish brown; capsules ovoid-cylindric, curved, strumose, furrowed when dry; exothecial cells elongate, somewhat thick-walled; opercula obliquely short-rostrate; annuli in 1 row of large cells, deciduous; peristome teeth reddish purple, divided 1/3– ½ down. Spores 12–20 µm in diameter, yellowish green, finely papillose.

Type. Europe.

Chinese specimens examined: GUANGXI: Xing-an Co., C. Gao & G.-C. Zhang 1618 (IFSBH).

Habitat: on limestome, rarely on soil; Distribution: China, Russian Far East, Europe, and North America.

Illustrations: C. Gao (ed.) 1994 (Pl. 106, figs. 1–7).