Ecology: On rocks, trunk and branches of shrubby trees. Elevation: 2460-4250 m (Venezuela: ? m, Colombia: 2460-3075 m, Ecuador: 3950 m, Peru: 4250 m, Bolivia: 2840-4037 m, NW Argentina: 4200 m). Distribution: Mexico, Central America (Guatemala), Colombia to Bolivia and Chile, also southeast Brazil (this may be a case of mis-labeling of the Weir collections).
Syntrichia bogotensis is characterized by the oblong- or elliptical-ligulate leaves to ca. 4.5 mm, actue apices, plane (sometimes reflexed at midleaf) margins, short excurrent costa reddish coloration and sharply toothed at base, 2 stereid bands below midleaf, and only dorsal stereid band present above midleaf. Occasionally leaves of this species, similar to S. fragilis, are often fragile and broken, possibly serving for asexual reproduction. Synonyms include Tortula decidua Mitt. and T. ferruginea E.B. Bartra is a synonym.
Syntrichia bogotensis se caracteriza por las hojas oblongo- o elíptico-liguladas hasta ca. 4.5 mm, ápices agudos, márgenes planos (algunas veces reflexos a mitad de la hoja), costa corto excurrente de coloración rojiza y nítidamente dentada en la base, 2 franjas de estereidas debajo de la mitad de la hoja, y sólo la franja dorsal de estereidas presentes encima de media hoja. Ocasionalmente las hojas de esta especie, así como S. fragilis, a menudo son frágiles y quebradizas, posiblemente sirven para la reproducción asexual.