Plants slender, elongate, in dense tomentose tufts, yellowish green to dark green. Stems 1-6 cm, simple or branched; rhizoids from base to middle of stem forming a conspicuous tomentum. Leaves distichous, linear subula spreading from erect, whitish ovate-lanceolate or oblong sheathing base, margins plane to slightly incurved, becoming denticulate in subula particularly near the apex; costa excurrent, occupying most of subula, ¹/4-¹/3 width of leaf at base, subula roughened abaxially; lamina cells of sheathing base linear to oblong-linear, linear-flexuose or rectangular, becoming rectangular distally and quadrate to short-rectangular in subula. Specialized asexual reproduction unknown. Sexual condition autoicous, paroicous or synoicous; perigonia axillary, or on short branches proximal to perichaetium; perichaetial leaves not differentiated. Seta yellow-brown to reddish, elongate, erect. Capsule erect and symmetric or inclined and asymmetric, exserted, brown, cylindric to ovoid-cylindric, ± wrinkled when dry and empty; annulus of 2-3 rows of large, pale cells, deciduous; operculum conic, straight; peristome single, teeth16, variously split to near the base into 2(-3) minutely papillose filaments, teeth sometimes arranged in 8 groups of 2 teeth. Calyptra cucullate. Spores globose to ovoid, finely papillose.

Distichium capillaceum var. curvatum Flowers was described as a probable hybrid between D. capillaceum and D. inclinatum, characterized by capsule cylindric and strongly curved, and spores 20-23 µm.