This large, unbranched liverwort, characterised by its shoots measuring 4–6 cm (1.6–2.4 in) in length and distinctive two-lobed leaves with smooth margins, is found only in high-altitude temperate and subtropical forests of Bhutan and China's Yunnan Province, at elevations between 2,730–3,580 m (8,960–11,750 ft).

Its extremely restricted distribution, known from only a few locations spanning less than 500 km2 (190 sq mi), has led to its classification as endangered on the IUCN Red List due to ongoing habitat decline.

The type specimen was gathered by the Austrian botanist Heinrich von Handel-Mazzetti on 5 July 1916, in northwest Yunnan, China, specifically in the region of Jiang County between the Salwin and Irrawaddy rivers, at elevations ranging from 2,800–3,450 m (9,190–11,320 ft).

[3] The species has also been referred to by the synonym Gottschea macrodonta, as designated by the botanists Chien Gao and Yu-Huan Wu.

The edges (margins) of both the dorsal and ventral lobes are mostly smooth (entire), though they may occasionally have small angulations or slight bends.

When present, they resemble gemmae, which are small clumps of cells used for asexual reproduction in other liverworts like those in the genus Radula.

The type specimen—the original plant used to describe the species—was collected in 1916 from northwestern Yunnan Province in China, specifically in the area between the Salween and Irrawaddy rivers, at elevations between 2,800–3,450 m (9,190–11,320 ft) above sea level.

In 1979, a specimen was collected near a large waterfall above Namning, southeast of Sengor in the Mongar District, at an elevation of approximately 2,730 m (8,960 ft).

[6] The species is classified as Endangered, primarily due to its extremely restricted distribution and ongoing habitat decline.

This limited distribution, combined with the general threats to these forest ecosystems, suggests that focused conservation measures may be necessary to ensure the species' long-term survival.