Plants 0.5--2 mm. Stem leaves rigid, erect-appressed when dry, oblong-lanceolate from ovate base to narrowly lanceolate, 2.2--4 mm, slenderly acute; margins revolute nearly to apex, often irregularly notched near apex; distal laminal cells 7--14 µm wide, 1-stratose, with small, conical papillae, basal laminal cells linear-elongate, nodose. Sexual condition goniautoicous. Seta ± 1 mm. Capsule about 1/2 emergent when dry; urn cylindric, 1.5--2 mm, distinctly 8-ribbed entire length when mature; stomates superficial; peristome double, endostome segments 16, almost as wide as exostome teeth, densely papillose; exostome teeth 16, recurved when dry, densely papillose. Calyptra conic-oblong, with papillose hairs 1--3 cells thick. Spores 17--27 µm.

Trunks and branches of live and dead Quercus montana; ± 1500--2000 m; N.C., Va. Endemic.

Orthotrichum keeverae is the only species in southeastern North America with 16, recurved, exostome teeth; a stout endostome and cuspidate leaf apices. The exostome teeth are truncate and partially fused at the base forming a basal membrane.