Plants medium size, cespitose, glossy, yellowish-green. Stems erect, to 1 cm. Leaves crispate-curled when dry, broadly acuminate, mostly 2.5--4 mm; margins entire distally, plane proximally; apex cucullate to subcucullate. Gemmae lacking. Seta 1 per perichaetium, 3--4 mm. Capsule ovoid, 1.5 mm, irregularly wrinkled when dry; peristome teeth divided into triangular segments, smooth. Calyptra lobes half or more length of calyptra.

Capsules mature Jan.--June. Basic and acidic rock, occasionally soil or wood, forests; 100--2000 m; Ariz., Ark., Mo., N.Mex., Okla., Tex.; Mexico; Asia.

The plants are dark green and glossy; the leaves are tightly crispate when dry with the tips often circinate. The glossy pale or often brownish costa is very conspicuous in dry plants and is especially characteristic for this moss. When moist the leaf tips tend to be involute-cucullate and often falcate or somewhat uncinate.