Bryum erythroloma (Kindb.) Syed, J. Bryol. 7: 301. 1973.
Bryum capillare ssp. erythroloma Kindb., Eur. N. Amer. Bryin. 2: 358. 1897. Protologue: Canada. Can. Vanc. isl.: Macoun 1892. Neotype: Canada, British Columbia, Cedar Hill, April 1887, Macoun (Syed 1973).
Bryum capillare var. brevicuspidatum Kindb., Cat. Canad. Pl., Musci 6: 131. 1892. Protologue: Canada. Canadian Musci, No. 180, Bases of stumps near Victoria (1875) and at Cedar Hill (1887),Vancouver Island. Macoun (MO).
Plants small to medium-sized, shiny, green to yellow‑green, sometimes reddish, in loose tufts 5–20 mm high; rhizoids papillose; brown to reddish brown, smooth tubers sometimes present. Leaves 1.5–3 mm long, spirally twisted when dry, erect‑spreading when wet, obovate‑spathulate, long-decurrent; apices mucronate to cuspidate; margins recurved below, plane above, distinctly bordered by 3–4 rows of narrow, long‑rectangular cells, serrulate above; costae reddish, short-excurrent to percurrent; upper cells rhomboidal to hexagonal, thin‑walled, 30–60 μm long, basal cells rectangular, thin‑walled, bulging 30–70 μm long. Dioicous. Setae to 10–20 mm long, reddish brown. Capsules 2–4 mm long, red, oblong‑cylindrical, pendent, neck short and narrowed to the seta; opercula 0.5 mm long, conic apiculate; exostome teeth yellow to reddish brown, densely papillose, endostome hyaline, lightly papillose, basal membrane to ½ of exostome teeth length, segments well-developed, broadly perforate, cilia 2‑5, appendiculate. Spores 9–12 μm, nearly smooth. Calyptra not seen.