Protonema persistent as a thick green adherent felt. Leaves with strongly bordered and serrulate margins, distal laminal cell strongly bulging, papillae centered over lumens, mucro strongly denticulate. Capsule exothecial cells rectangular, 4--5:1, mostly ca. 13--18 µm wide. Spores 18--20 µm, weakly ornamented.

Capsules mature Apr. Kan.; usually under translucent rocks in exposed situations.

Aschisma kansanum is endemic to the U.S.A., being restricted to High Plains grassland (Merrill 1990) in three counties in west-central Kansas. Its persistent protonema and habitat are distinctive. This tiny, very rare species is threatened by over-collecting and grazing (Hallinbäck et al. 2000).