Ecology: Montane forest; on trunk and branches of treelets and trees, also on dead wood. Frequent, Elevation: 500-4000 m (Venezuela: ?m, Colombia: 1800-2400 m, Ecuador: 1200-3450 m, Peru: 500-4000 m, Bolivia 2925 m). Distribution: Mexico, West Indies, Central America, West Indies, tropical Andes, southeast Brazil.
Brachymenium columbica is distinguished by the rather stout plants, firm leaves, long lanceolate with an excurrent costa, 1-3 rows of cells forming a distinct border, and large bulbous gemmae in the leaf axil. Brachymenium globosum A. Jaeger, a name in use until very recently, is a synonym. Additional synonyms include Acidodontium grubbii E. B. Bartram and Neobryum costatum Williams.