Microdus laxiretis Broth., hom. illeg., Symb. Sin. 4: 16. 1929. Microdus brotheri Redfearn & B. C. Tan, hom. illeg., Trop. Bryol. 10: 66. 1995.

Plants very small, up to 5 mm high, yellowish green, not shiny, in compact tufts. Stems erect, simple, radiculose at base. Leaves up to 3 mm long, erect-patent or secund when dry, lower leaves small, upper ones larger, lanceolate from broadly ovate, sheathing base, abruptly narrowed to a subulate apex; margins plane, slightly serrulate in the upper part; costa thick, shortly excurrent; upper cells short-rectangular; basal cells narrowly rectangular, 35–60 µm × 6–8 µm; alar cells not differentiated. Perichaetial leaves longer than the stem leaves, sheathing at base. Setae straight, up to 10 mm long, twisted when dry; capsules erect, short-cylindric to cylindric; opercula long-rostrate; peristome teeth divided at the tips, vertically striate below, densely papillose above. Spores 20–22 µm in diameter, yellowish, distinctly papillose (warty).

Type. China: Yunnan, between Landsang-djiang and Lu-djiang, alt. 4100 m, Handel-Mazzetti 9945 (holotype H).

Specimens examined: YUNNAN: see the type information cited above.

Habitat: on rotten wood; Distribution: endemic to China.

According to Brotherus (1929), the species is characterized among Chinese species by having cylindric capsules, larger spores (larger than 20 µm), and smaller plants (smaller than 5 mm high).

Illustrations: No reference.