Plants epilithic, xerophytic, summer-green, creeping, 10-30 cm, growing indefinitely. Rhizophores at intervals throughout length of creeping stem and branches, borne on dorsal side in axils of branches. Main stems anisotomously branched throughout, glabrous; leafy branches glabrous, radially symmetrical. Leaves spirally arranged on all sides of stem and branches, monomorphic throughout, linear-lanceolate, 1.8-2 mm (seta excluded), 0.3-0.4 mm wide, with long apical seta ca. 1/3 as long as leaves, margin shortly ciliolate, apex acuminate. Strobili solitary on erect branchlets, tetragonal, 5-15(-20) × 1-1.5 mm; sporophylls monomorphic, ovate-triangular or ovate-lanceolate.
同印度卷柏的主要区别是茎枝纤细，叶短小，叶尖芒长达叶片的1/3。较常见。
S Gansu, Sichuan, Xizang, Yunnan.
On dry rocks; (900-)1500-3700 m.