The capsule of the sporophyte is short cylindrical, appears broader at the base and is dark red to black colored.

While it is a common characteristic in mosses, B. argenteum was one of the first bryophytes experimentally determined to be desiccation tolerant.

[4] An adaptable plant, it has a cosmopolitan distribution and is found in Europe, North America, the deserts of Australia and in Antarctica.

[5][6] It thrives in areas of high anthropogenic activity, growing on rocks, in gaps of paving stones, on asphalt, and on roadsides.

[7] The species is often spread by vegetative fragments clinging to the shoes of people and the feet or hooves of animals.