Plants 0.5--1.2 cm. Stem leaves flexuose to ±contorted-flexuose, loosely erect when dry, lanceolate, 1.7--3.7 mm, leaf base ovate; margin plane or slightly reflexed, distal laminal cells 7--11 µm wide, smooth or slightly papillose; basal laminal cells rounded to elliptic, thick-walled. Sexual condition autoicous. Seta 5--5.5 mm. Capsule cylindric and contracted at mouth when mature, fusiform to fusiform-cylindric when old and dry, 1.7--3.2 mm, 8-ribbed 1/2--2/3 length; stomates numerous in neck and basal portion; peristome single; no endostome segments; exostome teeth 8, splitting to 16, erect and flexuose-incurved, obscurely and densely papillose. Calyptra conic, very hairy. Spores 21--24 µm.

Twigs and trunks of conifer and decidious trees, especially in dense coastal forests; low elevations; B.C., Nfld., Que.; Alaska; Europe; Asia.

The distribution of this species is bicentric---it is known from both coasts in North America, from Newfoundland south to Cape Breton and the Gaspé in the East, and from along the Aleutians south to the Queen Charlotte Islands in the West. This species is distinguished by narrowly fusiform capsules that are ribbed almost their entire length and are somewhat smaller at the mouth. The whitish single peristome is erect and flexuose and easily distinguishes this species from U. crispa with a reflexed exostome. Additionally, the leaves are blunt and not strongly twisted-contorted.