Plants tiny or small, olive green. Leaves linear from broad base, slenderly subulate from oblong base, narrowly acute; costa ending in apex, filling subula; margins entire; leaf cells (1-)3:1; perichae-tial leaves somewhat larger, similar to vegetative leaves, not much differentiated. Seta 2-3 mm, curved to cygneous. Capsule ovate-oblong to ovate-cylindric, longer than broad, narrower at mouth, peristome of 16 well-developed teeth; columella immersed. Spores 8-10 µm.

Calcareous substrates; B.C., N.B., Nfld. and Labr. (Nfld.), Ont., Que.; Mich., Mo., N.J., N.Y., Tenn., Wash.; Europe; Asia.

Seligeria recurvata is disjunct in Washington and southern British Columbia to eastern Canada south to Tennessee and west to Michigan. It is distinguished by the combination of cyneous seta, oblong rather narrow capsules, and subulate leaves with the costa filling the apex. Seligeria campylopoda has similar sporophytic features, but has broader leaves with the costa ending in, but not filling, the apex. The spores of both species are small.