Leptodontium (C. Müll.) Hampe ex Lindb., Öfvers. Förh. Kong. Svenska Vetensk.-Akad. 21: 227. 1864.

Trichostomum sect. Leptodontium C. Müll., Syn. Musc. Frond. 1: 577. 1849. 

Plants small to robust, in loose or dense tufts or mats, green to yellowish green. Stems often tomentose, hyalodermis present or absent, central strand absent, cortical cells thick-walled. Leaves erect to spreading, twisted or crispate-contorted when dry, spreading to squarrose-recurved when wet, lingulate, oblong, oblong-, ovate- or long-lanceolate, keeled above, sheathing at base, variously decurrent; apices acute or acuminate; margins recurved at base, dentate above, sometimes bordered by lighter, thicker-walled, less papillose cells; costa subpercurrent to percurrent; upper leaf cells quadrate, hexagonal, triangular, oblate or subrectangular, papillose by simple, c-shaped, bifid, columnar, or coroniform papillae, basal leaf cells short-rectangular, rectangular, or elongate, straight-walled or porose, smooth or pluripapillose. Asexual reproduction by flagellate branches, short, stout branches with reduced leaves, or obovoid to claviform propagula on short stalks. Dioicous. Perichaetial leaves long-sheathing. Setae elongate. Capsules cylindrical, erect to somewhat curved; stomata at base of capsule; opercula conic-rostrate; peristome teeth 16, inserted, basal membrane low or absent, teeth linear, irregularly divided, reddish orange below, hyaline above, smooth to striate. Spores lightly papillose, homosporous or heterosporous. Calyptrae cucullate, smooth.