Plants to 2.5 mm. Leaves ligulate to lingulate, 1--2.8 mm, margins entire, undifferentiated at base, apex cucullate to nearly open; costa subpercurrent to percurrent, filaments of 3--6 cells, cells subspheric; cells of leaf base 15--64 µm, medial and distal cells 11--24 µm, occasionally with large solid papillae at leaf tip. Sexual condition dioicous or rhizoautoicous. Seta 5.5--12.5 mm, urn cylindric, 1.5--3 mm; operculum campanulate, 1--1.4 mm; peristome 600--1200 µm, strongly twisted. Spores 13--24 µm.

Capsules mature Jan.--May. Low, desert areas, banks and dry washes, soil and limestone; 400--800 m; Ariz., Calif.; Mexico (Baja California); Europe; n Africa; Asia (India, Israel, Jordan, Lebanon, Turkey); Australia.

The cylindrical capsules with a long and twisted peristome are distinctive. Forms with short-lingulate leaves may be confused with A. hamulus when sterile. Outside North America, A. aloides var. ambigua may occur as high as 2100 m.