Plants 0.8--4 cm. Stem leaves loosely erect-spreading when dry, lanceolate, 2.5--4 mm, gradually acuminate to long-acuminate-cuspidate; margins revolute to just below apex, often wavy and slightly notched near apex; distal laminal cells 7--13 µm wide, 1-stratose, with 1--2 conical papillae per cell; basal laminal cells elongate, nodose. Sexual condition goniautoicous. Seta 1--1.5 mm. Capsule immersed to fully exserted, generally 1/2--1/4 emergent, urn oblong-ovate to cylindric, 1.5--2.0 mm, smooth to lightly 8-ribbed; stomates superficial; peristome double; endostome segments 16, 2 cells wide, coarsely papillose; exostome teeth 16, recurved, obscurely and densely papillose. Calyptra conic-oblong, moderately hairy, with dark beak. Spores 17--29 µm.

Branches and trunks of trees; 500--2000 m; Ariz., N.Mex., Texas; Mexico. Restricted to sw North America.

The distinguishing features of this species are the 16 exostome teeth that are not united at the base to form a membrane as in O. keeverae, 16 endostome segments, and a lightly ribbed capsule that is usually 3/4 emergent. This species is found only south of 35° N latitude in the southwestern United States and Mexico.