Ecology: Upper open and forested montane to shrubby páramo and puna; on soil, humus, and logs. Elevation: 750-3400 m (Venezuela: 2100-2900 m, Colombia: 2600-3200 m, Peru: 750-3400 m, Bolivia: 2500-2550 m). Distribution: Mexico, Central America, and tropical Andes (excluding Ecuador).
Campylopus oblongus is characterized by the medium sized plants to 4 cm, leaves equally foliate, narrowly long lanceolate and channeled above, to ca. 6 mm, costa ca. 3/4 the width at leaf base, ridged on back distally, in cross-section ventral hyalocysts subquadrate, upper lamina cells subquadrate to short rectangular, somewhat obliquely so, basal cells rectangular, entire and thick-walled, alar cells distinct and inflated, protruding into the costal region. Campylopus bolivianus Thér. ex J.-P. Frahm is a synonym. Frahm also cites Guaviare based on a collection by Schultes 11123 (FLAS) - which may be incorrectly labeled.
Specimens: VENEZUELA. Mérida: Steyermark 97120 (NY); Táchira: Luteyn 9855 (NY). COLOMBIA. Antioquia: type of Pilopogon paleaceus; Cundinamarca: Cleef 108 (U).