It is widely distributed throughout temperate and boreal latitudes in the Northern Hemisphere and also found in Mexico, several Pacific Islands including New Zealand, and also in Australia.

[3][4] Additionally, class Polytrichopsida has been shown to thrive in partially open habitats that have been recently disturbed by human activities or even livestock.

The leaf sheath is oblong to elliptic in outline, forming an involute (i.e. with inward rolling margins) tube and clasping the stem.

This sheath is typically golden yellow and shiny, and it is abruptly contracted to the narrowly lanceolate blade.

The leaves of the perichaetium have a long sheath with a scarious (i.e. membranous) margin, while the blades themselves are greatly reduced, gradually narrowing to a finely acuminate tip.

The seta, or capsule stalk, is 5 to 9 cm long, and is stout and yellowish to reddish brown in colour.

While mosses are considered non-vascular plants, Polytrichum commune shows clear differentiation of water conducting tissue.

[6] Another characteristic feature of the species (and the genus) is its parallel photosynthetic lamellae on the upper surfaces of the leaves.

This minimises water loss as relatively little tissue is directly exposed to the environment, but allows for enough gas exchange for photosynthesis to take place.

It is speculated that the teeth along the leaf's edge may aid in this process, or perhaps also that they help discourage small invertebrates from attacking the leaves.