[4] It is commonly found in Europe and the Pacific Northwest region of North America.

Stems are found as simple or forked ranging from 1-2 cm but can sometimes be short as 4 mm long.

The costa is generally strong, and ends just below the apex as a hyaline or coloured awn or sometimes excurrent as a short mucro.

[7] Consistent with other members of the Bryopsida class, there are arthrodontous (joint-toothed) peristome teeth found at the tip of the sporangium.

The outer layer of peristome teeth are hygroscopic, and when moist, they close over the tip of the sporangium to keep the spores inside.

Inside the sporangium, spores undergo meiosis to become haploid before reaching maturity.

When they are ready to be released and the outer peristome teeth are dry, they are dispersed into the wind.