Leaves with distal lamina smooth; awn smooth or sharply serrulate; lamellae 2-6(-10) cells in height, not lobed, sometimes bearing filaments. Capsule cleistocarpous, immersed to emergent, short-ovoid; eperistomate. Calyptra cucullate or rarely mitrate.

Capsules mature spring. Grassy areas, around alkaline depressions, steppe; moderate elevations; B.C., Sask.; c Europe.

A locally abundant (T. T. McIntosh 1989) western species, Pterygoneurum kozlovii commonly grows mixed with other species of the genus. Although the gametophyte is much the same as that of P. subsessile, the brown, spheric cleistocarpous capsules with no annulus are unique for the genus. Perigonia are borne terminally on short lateral or basal branches.