Plants compact, short-branched and small; strongly reddish to golden brown, glossy when dry; flat-topped capitulum with moderately differentiated terminal bud. Stems dark brown; superficial cortex of 3--4 layers of enlarged thin-walled cells. Stem leaves lingulate,small, equal to or less than 0.8 mm, appressed to stem; apex with strong lacerate split in the middle; hyaline cells efibrillose, aporose, and nonseptate. Branches strongly 5-ranked, short and blunt, not much elongated at distal end. Branch fascicles with 2 spreading and 2--3 pendent branches. Branch stems green, with cortex enlarged with retort cells. Branch leaves ovate; usually less than 1.5 mm; stiff and slightly reflexed, straight to slightly subsecund; margins entire; hyaline cells moderately long and narrow (6--8:1), convex surface with one small round pore per cell at apex and numerous pseudopores on the margin, concave surface with large round wall thinnings in the cell angles and ends; chlorophyllous cells triangular in transverse section, with apex reaching concave surface. Sexual condition unknown. Spores not seen.

Common forming hummocks and carpets in a variety of weakly minerotrophic to ombrotrophic mires including Eriophorum tussock fens, dwarf shrub fens, polygon peatlands, string mires and raised bogs; Nfld, N.W.T., Que., Yukon; Alaska; Eurasia.

Sporophytes are rare. This species is asily told from the similar S. lindbergii by its compact growth form and reddish brown color. Sphagnum lenense also is a hummock former in the tundra whereas S. lindbergii forms carpets.