Ecology: Open high montane to páramo and puna; exposed sites, on soil, humus, leaf litter, rocks, shrubs and trunk and branches of trees. Elevation: 2400-5200 m (Venezuela: 3000-3200 m, Colombia: 3225-4400 m, Ecuador: 4050-4120 m, Peru: 3000-4600 m, Bolivia: 2400-5200 m). Distribution: Central America, Andes, and southeast Brazil; also Africa.
The high sheathing oblong leaf base often gives the plants a slender, wiry appearance. In addition to the tightly sheathing leaf base, other features are the hyalodermis (flutted) and basal rectangular cells at the margin differentiated from the inner basal cells. Leptodontium anomalum Dixon & Thér., L. ferrugineum Broth. and L. vaginatum Herzog are synonyms.
La base de la hoja envainadora oblonga alta a menudo brinda a las plantas una apariencia delgada y alambrina. Leptodontium anomalum Dixon & Thér., L. ferrugineum Broth. y L. vaginatum Herzog son sinónimos.