Plants small to rather large, deep green to brownish green or brown, in dense tufts. Stems erect, with dense rhizoids at base, sometimes with innovated branches below perichaetia or branched from old stems; a central strand present. Leaves in multiple rows, upper leaves larger, concave, ovate-lanceolate or narrowly lanceolate; margins not bordered, serrate above; costae single, strong, usually ending below the apex, in cross section with dorsal and ventral stereid bands; leaf cells small, rounded-hexagonal, thick-walled, pluripapillose. Dioicous or autoicous. Gametangia terminal; perigonia bud-like or disk-like; perichaetial leaves dimorphic. Setae solitary, elongate, erect; capsules inclined, rarely erect, elongate-ovoid or cylindrical; neck shortly developed; opercula conic at base, obliquely long-rostrate; annuli persistent; exothecial cells quadrate or rectangular, longitudinally thickened; stomata present; peristome double; exostome teeth 16, lanceolate, densely papillose; endostome segments narrowly lanceolate, hyaline; basal membrane low to rather high; cilia weakly

One genus is found in China.

1. Aulacomnium Schwaegr.