Plants medium to large, forming large tufts, green to yellow-green, brownish below; terricolous or saxicolous. Stems 10-80 mm tall, rarely branched, without tomentum; in section oval, fluted, central strand absent, cells of cortex large, incrassate, strongly thickened toward margin, outer 1-3 rows stereids, reddish; axillary hairs of 14-17 short cells, basal cell brownish. Leaves crowded, twisted to contorted above with appressed bases dry, strongly squarrose-recurved wet; ovate-lanceolate, 3-5 mm long; apex acute; base oblong, sheathing; margins narrowly recurved below, serrate in upper leaf. Costa subpercurrent; ventral superficial cells long-rectangular, smooth, dorsal superficial cells long-rectangular, finely papillose; in section reniform, guide cells 2-4, large, ventral stereid band 1-2 cells thick, exposed, dorsal stereid band 2-3 cells thick, dorsal surface cells not differentiated. Upper laminal cells rounded-quadrate, thickened at corners, bulging superficially, papillae crown-like, massive, centered over lumen; basal cells moderately differentiated, rectangular, thickened, pitted, seriate papillose to lower base. Sporophyte not known in Southern Africa.
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