Plants less than 1.5 cm. Stem leaves rigid, erect to spreading when moist, ligulate- to elliptic-lanceolate, less than 5. mm, obtuse to rounded-acute; margins recurved from near apex to just above base, entire; distal laminal cells 13--16 µm wide, 1-stratose, strongly papillose, papillae high, simple to forked; basal laminal cells short-rectangular, pellucid and thin-walled with corner thickenings. Sexual condition goniautoicous. Seta less than 0.5 mm. Capsule immersed; urn short-cylindric to oblong-ovate, 1--2 mm, strongly 8-ribbed entire length; stomates immersed, 2/3 to completely covered by well-developed subsidiary cells; peristome double; endostome segments 8 well-developed, occasionally 16, 1 cell wide, smooth or roughened; exostome teeth 8 ± 16, reflexed, papillose to papillose-reticulate near apex. Calyptra oblong-conic, hairy, hairs papillose. Spores 15--18 µm.

Dry granitic rocks; 1100--1600 m; Calif. Endemic.

This species is known only from the southern Sierras of California. It is distinguished by small, blackish tufts, obtuse to bluntly acute leaf species; strongly pluri-papillose distal leaf cells; 2-stratose (or more) leaf margins; completely immersed, strongly 8-ribbed capsules, immersed stomates, reflexed exostome teeth, well-developed endostome, and papillose calyptra hairs.