Plants 0.6--5.5 cm. Stem leaves contorted-crisped when dry, oblong, lanceolate, or linear-lanceolate, 2--3.5 mm, leaf base ovate, concave; margin narrowly recurved above, revolute below, distal laminal cells 7--10 µm wide, with incrassate walls with 1--2 conic papillae; basal laminal cells linear-elongate, thick-walled. Sexual Condition dioicious. Seta 4--5 mm. Capsule oblong-cylindric, 2--2.5 mm long, 8-ribbed for ± 1/2 length; stomates not seen; mature peristome not seen; endostome segments not seen; exostome teeth 8, papillose. Calyptra conic, moderately hairy. Spores not seen.

Tree branches and trunks along the coast, associated with salt-spray; at sea level; B.C., N.B., Nfld., N.S., Que.; Alaska, Calif., Maine, Oreg., Wash.; s South America; Europe; Africa.

This species has twisted-contorted leaves that end in a short-excurrent costa usually covered by dark-brown elongate brood-bodies. This species is dioicous and rarely has capsules, unlike the other species of the genus that are almost always with sporophytes. No other species of Ulota has abundant brood-bodies, however even when these are dispersed, the stoutly excurrent costa forming a short cusp and the maritime habitat should serve to recognize the species. This is a species of both coasts, as it is known from northern California north to southern Alaska and the Alaskan Peninsula in the West and from Maine north to southern Labrador in the East.