[1] Conocephalum species are large liverworts with distinct patterns on the upper thallus, giving the appearance of snakeskin.

[7] Species of Conocephalum are relatively common[5] and widely distributed throughout North America, Europe and East Asia.

Within liverworts, cryptic species are suggested to be related to both geographical disjunction and to reproductive biology in combination with isolation and habitat differentiation.

[8][11][15] Conocephalum salebrosum displays the widest distribution and is found throughout North America,[5][9][15] Europe and Asia.

[17] In North America, C. salebrosum occurs throughout Canada and parts of the United States and has also been reported from Russia.

[9] In contrast to C. salebrosum, C. conicum is found throughout Europe[11][15] and has been recorded in Norway, Finland, Great Britain, Ireland, Belgium, France, Germany, Czech Republic, Austria, Hungary, Romania, Italy, Portugal, Spain, Croatia, Bulgaria, Greece, Ukraine, Poland and Russia.

[17] Conocephalum conicum is often found in open woodlands, sandy banks, wet rocks and cliffs and moist soils.

[9][10][11][17][21] Conocephalum conicum and C. salebrosum share some similarities in morphological characteristics, in addition to having their own unique traits which help distinguish the two species.

[4][5] In contrast to C. conicum and C. salebrosum, the thallus of C. supradecompositum is relatively small, measuring 2-3 cm long.

[1][11] The upper surface of the thallus has characteristic hexagonal outlines formed by shallow grooves around each air chamber.

[24][25][27] It has been suggested that oil bodies might function as a deterrent to herbivory or could protect from cold temperatures or harmful ultraviolet radiation.

[24][25] The life cycles of liverworts involves alternating haploid gametophyte and diploid sporophyte generations.

The gametophyte produces haploid gametes, egg and sperm, which fuse to form a diploid zygote.

[5] In natural populations, the high genetic variation observed suggests that sexual reproduction might dominate.

Species of Conocephalum are dioicous,[11] meaning that the male and female reproductive structures are produced on separate plants.

On male plants, the receptacle is slightly raised, lacking a stalk, and often circular or oval shaped.

[5][25][30] In contrast, on female plants the receptacles are dome-shaped, with several drooping lobes at the end of an erect stalk.

[28] Conocephalum elaters are unique and display a wide range of variability in shape, size and number.

[5][28][32] Gemmae are small packets of tissue consisting of haploid cells that are genetically identical with those of the parent plant.

[5] The individuals resulting from vegetative reproduction are genetically identical to the parent plant and therefore clonal colonies often exist as either all male or all female.

[12][13] Terpenoids and aromatic compounds are often accumulated within the oil bodies of many liverworts, including Conocephalum.

Molecular analyses demonstrated that Conocephalum contained fungal endophytes from the group of fungi known as the Glomeromycota.

[34] Conocephalum conicum often colonizes bare soils or rocky substrates, where mineral nutrients can often be limiting.

These fungi form a highly branched mycelium outside of the plant which then colonize the outside of the rhizoids and pass into the gametophyte.

This association of the fungal hypha with the hosts plastids suggests that photosynthates produced through photosynthesis in C. conicum are likely transferred to the fungus.

[11] The fungal pathogen belonging to the genus Pythium has often been isolated from infected rhizoids and thallus of Conocephalum.

[38] Conocephalum conicum has been identified as being tolerant of heavy metals and has therefore been suggested to have a possible role as a bioindicator for pollution.

[40] Conocephalum conicum has been suggested to have a possible role in the management of food borne disease caused by species of Aspergillus fungi.

Conocephalum is known to be important to Bhotia, Raji, Tharus and Boxas tribes in Pithoragarh district of Kumaon Himalaya.