Plants medium-sized [to large], occasionally small, usually in pendent tufts, green, yellowish, brownish, or black, dull [or glossy]. Stems creeping, subpinnate to irregularly branched, branches erect, pendent, [or spreading], short to elongate, simple or branched; paraphyllia absent; pseudoparaphyllia foliose. Stem and branch leaves similar, spirally inserted, imbricate, spreading, spreading-complanate, or squarrose; margins usually serrate, sometimes papillose-denticulate, [entire, or serrulate]; apex acute to acuminate or piliferous, usually broadly to narrowly acuminate; costa single or rarely ecostate; alar cells sometimes differentiated; medial laminal cells elongate, usually papillose. Sexual condition dioicous or sometimes autoicous; perigonia and perichaetia axillary, gemmiform. Seta single, dark, short. Capsule usually erect, usually exserted, oblong-ovoid to ovoid, symmetric; stomata proximal on capsule; annulus usually indistinct; operculum rostrate or short-rostrate; peristome double; exostome teeth 16; endostome basal membrane present, segments 16, cilia absent or inconspicuous. Calyptra cucullate or conic-mitrate, naked or hairy. Spores spheric, smooth or rough.