Ecology: Open to forested montane to páramo and puna; on soil, humus and leaf litter, rarely found on logs. Elevation: 2180-4000 m (Venezuela: 2180-3300 m, Colombia: 2355-3550 m, Ecuador: 2260-4000 m, Peru: 2400-3100 m, Bolivia: 1500-3900 m). Distribution: Mexico, Central America, tropical Andes, and southeast Brazil; also Africa.
Campylopus jamesonii is characterized by the large size, to 10 cm and equally foliate leaves to 10 mm long, distal 1/3 toothed, costa to 2/3 the width at leaf base, ventral hyalocysts medium sized, not notably enlarged, alar cells well differentiated, red, rarely hyaline, decurrent, basal cells thin-walled, rectangular, upper cells obliquely short rectangular (1:2). Campylopus altissimus (Müll. Hal.) A. Jaeger is a synonym.