It is endemic to Argentina, where it is an endangered species known from just a few locations.

[1] It occurs in the southernmost parts of Argentina, growing on South Georgia and Isla Grande de Tierra del Fuego in boggy habitat.

[2] The moss is light green with red setae and it grows up to 10 centimeters tall in some conditions.

[2] The genus was circumscribed by Jules Cardot in Rev.

The genus name of Skottsbergia is in honour of Carl Johan Fredrik Skottsberg (1880–1963), who was a Swedish botanist and explorer of Antarctica.