Eustichia (Brid.) Brid., Bryol. Univ. 2: 789. 1827.

Phyllogonium Brid. subgenus Eustichia Brid., Bryol. Univ. 2: 674. 1827. 

Diplostichum Mont., Ann. Sci. Nat., Bot. sér 3, 4: 116. 1845.

Cymbaria Tayl., London J. Bot. 7: 190. 1848 

Plants slender, erect, usually growing in dense and often extensive tufts, lower parts often buried in the substrate. Stems branching irregularly; in cross-section the outer and 1–2 subtending tiers of cells small, incrassate, pigmented, the inner cells larger, thin-walled, pellucid; central strand lacking; rhizoids mainly at base, smooth, reddish; axillary hairs filiform, lower 1–3 cells pigmented, small, upper 1–2 cells elongate, hyaline. Leaves spirally arranged, lower ones monomorphic, remote, erect, ovate-lanceolate, acuminate; upper ones dimorphic, those on two sides of the stem similar to lower ones, others seemingly distichous but only complanate in two rows, erect-spreading, ± imbricate, conduplicate, more or less elliptic, apiculate to awned; margins elimbate, plane, erose-denticulate; costae single, short-excurrent, in cross-section with a central strand of stereids, outer tier of slightly larger sub-stereids; cells firm-walled, more or less quadrate, bluntly pluripapillose. Dioicous (?). Perigonia not seen; perichaetia terminal on short basal stems or branches, perichaetial leaves enlarged, attenuate, clasping. Setae single, elongate, slender, yellow, darkening with age. Capsules erect and radially symmetric, or slightly arcuate and bilaterally symmetric, cylindric, castaneous, strongly ribbed when dry; exothecial cells rectangular to narrowly rectangular, walls evenly thickened; stomata superficial, confined to base of capsule; opercula obliquely rostrate, as long or longer than capsule; peristome teeth fragile, yellow, sometimes fenestrate, longitudinally striate, erect both wet and dry. Spores small, smooth. Calyptrae cucullate, smooth.