Plants forming tufts or cushions, pale to dark green, glossy or dull. Stems mostly erect, simple to few branched; in cross-section central strand absent. Leaves often crispate, lanceolate to oblong-lanceolate or ligulate, or differentiated with limb ligulate to broadly or narrowly lanceolate from an expanded obovate or oblong to ovate sheathing base, apex acute or acuminate to truncate; margins entire or more commonly dentate to serrate or ciliate (esp. on shoulders of sheath), teeth single, double or more; costae single, mostly percurrent; distal laminal cells smooth to more often papillose, uniform and ± thick-walled or differentiated between an inner layer of chlorocysts and outer leucocyst layer above and below; basal cells strongly differentiated, region adjacent to costa of enlarged, clear cells (cancellinae), outer cells beyond the cancellinae quadrate or short rectangular or with a differentiated band of linear cells (teniolae) usually separated by isodiametric cells or margins bordered by linear cells. Gemmae often present on the upper lamina or highly modified apices (often narrowed and club-shaped). Dioicous. Perichaetia terminal; leaves little differentiated. Setae elongate, smooth. Capsules erect, urn cylindrical; opercula rostrate; peristome absent or present and single, teeth 16, papillose. Calyptrae cucullate and deciduous or campanulate and persistent (clasping at base) with few to several longitudinal slits. Spores spherical, mostly papillose.

Plantas formando manojos o cojines, verde pálidas hasta oscuras, brillantes u opacas. Tallos generalmente erectos, simples hasta poco ramificados; banda central ausente en corte transversal. Hojas a menudo crispadas, lanceoladas hasta oblongo-lanceoladas o liguladas, o diferenciadas con el limbo ligulado hasta ancha- o angostamente lanceoladas desde una base envainadora expandida obovada u oblonga hasta ovada, ápices agudos o acuminados hasta truncados; márgenes enteros o más comúnmente dentados hasta serrados o ciliados (especialmente sobre los hombros de la vaina), dientes simples, dobles o más; costa simple, generalmente percurrente; células distales de la lámina lisas a más a menudo papilosas con paredes uniformes y ± gruesas o diferenciadas entre una capa interna de clorocistos y capas externas de leucocistos hacia arriba y abajo; células basales marcadamente diferenciadas, región adyacente a la costa con células agrandadas, claras (cancelinas), células externas más allá de las cancelinas cuadradas o corto-rectangulares o con una banda diferenciada de células lineares (teniola) generalmente separada por células isodiamétricas o márgenes bordeados por células lineales. Yemas a menudo presente sobre la porción superior de la lámina o en ápices muy modificados (a menudo angostas y en forma de garrote). Dioicas. Periquecios terminales; hojas poco diferenciadas. Setas alargadas, lisas. Cápsulas erectas, urna cilíndrica; opérculo rostrado; peristoma ausente o presente y simple, con 16 dientes, papiloso. Caliptra cuculada y decidua o campanulada y persistente (amplectantes en la base) con pocas hasta varias aberturas longitudinales. Esporas esféricas, generalmente papilosas.

1. Sporophytes present … 2.

1. Sporophytes lacking … 3.

2. Calyptra clasping seta below capsule, persistent; peristome lacking … Calymperes

2. Calyptra cucullate, deciduous; peristome present or lacking … Syrrhopodon

3. Lamina above shoulders tristratose, upper and lower layers composed of leucocysts, mid layer of chlorocysts … Leucophanes*

3. Lamina above shoulders unistratose, cells ± uniform, not composed differentiated leucocysts and chlorocysts … 4.

4. Upper lamina margins limbate, elongate hyaline cells (border sometimes incomplete to nearly lacking) … Syrrhopodon

4. Upper lamina margins elimbate, lacking a border of elongate hyaline marginal cells, variously bordered otherwise or undifferentiated … 5.

5. Teniolae present (at least in some leaves) … Calymperes

5. Teniolae lacking … 6.

6. Lower laminal golden-brown to reddish; cancellinae mostly fragile and eroded (but mostly intact in Syrrhopodon cryptocarpos and S. rigidus) … Syrrhopodon

6. Lower lamina hyaline, mostly not colored as above (but sometimes yellowish in S. incompletus); cancellinae intact and persistent (sometimes eroded in S. cryptocarpos) … 7.

7. Upper lamina margins coarsely serrate-toothed in rows, teeth forming 3 or more irregular wings from shoulder to apex; cells of cancellinae with faint transverse bands … Syrrhopodon cryptocarpos

7. Upper lamina margins entire or bearing at most 2 rows of teeth; cells of cancellinae lacking bands …8.

8. Lower lamina margins bearing stout, sharp, spreading tore curved spinose teeth; rhizoids dark-red … Syrrhopodon gardneri

8. Lower lamina margins entire to serrate or dentate, but lacking spinose-recurved teeth; rhizoids brown to reddish … 9.

9. Lower lamina margins clearly bordered by several to many rows of elongate thick-walled cells … Calymperes

9. Lower lamina margins lacking well-defined border of elongate, thick-walled cells … Syrrhopodon incompletus var. incompletus