Campylopus richardii Brid., Muscol. Recent. Suppl. 4: 73. 1819. Thysanomitrion richardii (Brid.) Schwaegr., Sp. Musc. Frond. Suppl. 2: 61. 1823. Dicranum richardii (Brid.) C. Müll., Syn. Musc. Frond. 1: 413. 1848. Pilopogon richardii (Brid.) Broth., Nat. Pflanzenfam. 1(3): 336. 1901. Type. Guadeloupe, Parker.
Plants medium to robust, yellowish green at tips, dark brown to black below; stems 3–6 cm long. Leaves on fertile stems appressed below, in comal tufts above, oblong-lanceolate, 3–8 mm long, apex acute, hyaline hair-pointed; margins concave below, tubulose above, entire; costa excurrent, mammillose at back, in cross section with small guide cells, dorsal stereid cells well-developed, ventral stereid cells weakly developed, consisting of only a single layer or absent, if absent guide cells ventrally exposed; upper cells obliquely rhomboidal; basal cells linear-rectangular, all incrassate-pitted; alar cells forming distinct groups of red-yellow cells. Setae 4–8 mm long, red-black, rough above; capsules erect, symmetric, cylindrical-ellipsoid, 1.5–2.0 mm long, scabrous at base, red-black; opercula rostrate, 1 mm long. Calyptrae 2 mm long, ciliate at base.