Plants ± moderate-sized, stiff and open, compact on exposed sites, capitulum flat-topped and often stellate; green or variegated red and green, lacking metallic sheen when dry. Stems typically mixed green and red; superficial cortical cells mostly rectangular and uniporose with a single round to ovate pore in distal portion of cell usually free from cell wall, some cells and occasionally whole stems may be aporose. Stem leaves lingulate, 1.3-1.6 mm, apex broadly rounded or pointed and notched (sometimes denticulate), border strong and broadened at base (more than 0.25 width); hyaline cells short sinuoid-rhombic, mostly efibrillose, 0-1(-2)-septate. Branches long and slender, never 5-ranked. Branch fascicles with 2 spreading and 1-2 pendent branches. Branch leaves ovate-lanceolate, 1.3-1.6 mm, concave, straight, apex strongly involute; hyaline cells on convex surface with numerous round to elliptic pores along the commissures, grading from small round pores near the apex to large elliptic pores at the base, concave surface usually with large round pores throughout, but sometimes restricted to proximal portions of leaf. Sexual condition dioicous, but some specimens apparently monoicous. Spores 18-33 µm, coarsely papillose on both surfaces; proximal laesura more than 0.5 spore radius.
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