Plants in open to dense tufts, turfs, or mats, green, dark green, to brownish-green, rarely yellow-green. Stems (0.3--)0.6--1.4(--4) cm. Leaves erectopatent to contorted or somewhat crisped when dry, rarely forming a comal tuft, patent to erectopatent to spreading when wet, 0.35--2.8 mm, distal margins usually toothed; costae percurrent to slightly excurrent. Seta usually red to dark brown. Capsules usually inclined to horizontal, (0.8--)1.3--1.8(--3) mm, usually arcuate, red to red-brown to purplish to, occasionally, light brown, deeply sulcate when dry, usually strumose, occasionally light brown. Peristome teeth usually bordered, usually with 8--16 articulations.

Capsules mature early summer--late fall. Various habitats, but most common on open soil, also rock ledges, tree bases, roof tops, old wood, a common colonizer of soil following fires; near sea level to high elevations; Greenland; every state, province, and territory in North America; Mexico; Eurasia; Pacific Islands (Hawaii).