Plants 2-3.5 mm. Leaves lingulate, lanceolate or ovate, 0.7-1.4 mm, margins recurved from near apex to near base, apex rounded or emarginate, piliferous; costa excurrent, with an abaxial epidermis, filaments of 1-4 cells, cells subspheric, with several papillae per cell, terminal cell subspheric; cells of leaf base 13-51 µm, medial and distal cells 11-20 µm, smooth, with 1-2 abaxial papillae or on either side in distal cells. Sexual condition dioicous or cladautoicous. Seta 8-16 mm. Capsule urn ovoid-cylindric, 1.3-2 mm; operculum 0.5-1 mm; peristome strongly twisted, 650-980 µm. Spores spheric, ovoid or oblong, finely papillose, 9-13 µm.

Capsule mature Jan-Jun(-Aug). Soil and rocks under shrubs, shaded banks or in open sites in dry washes; moderate elevations (600-1500 m); Ariz., Calif., Colo., Nev., N.Mex., Tex., Utah; Mexico (Baja California, Sonora); n Africa.

Crossidium aberrans is easily distinguished by the smooth or 1-papillose cells of the distal leaf blade and by the low filaments with subglobose-papillose terminal cells.