Plants 2--4 mm wide across leafy stems, to 12 cm long. Stem leaves not crowded, slightly concave, (1.1--)2--3 × (1.1--)1.4--1.9 mm; margins often broadly incurved at base of acumen; apex frequently falcate; median cells 30--70 × 5--7 µm; cells of the clasping auricles smaller and rectangular to rhomboidal. Branch leaves concave, 0.8--1.9 × 0.3--1.2 mm; apex acuminate to abruptly acute, straight; costa 1/4--1/2 leaf length. Seta 12--40 mm. Capsule ellipsoid from short neck, 1.6--2.7 mm.

Soil, humus, rotten logs, and rocks in moist forests, especially common in the mixed hemlock and cove hardwoods forests of the Appalachian Mountains from Pa. to N.C. and Tenn.;0--2000 m; N.B., Nfld., N.S.; Conn., Ga., Ky., Maine, Mass., N.H., N.J., N.Y., N.C., Ohio, Pa., Tenn., Vt., Va., W.Va.; Mexico; West Indies; Central America (Costa Rica, Guatemala); Europe; n Africa.

Reports of Loeskeobryum brevirostre from Ontario and Quebec are suspect. Macoun’s collection from Owen Sound (No. 1191, 28 July 1871, CANM) is correctly identified but far from the Appalachian range of the species. All Quebec collections labeled as L. brevirostre that were examined for this study were misidentified.