Ecology: A common element of the subpáramo and páramo and puna, also found in mid open montane; exposed, often wet, sites, on soil, humus, and rocks. Elevation: 2500-4800 m (Venezuela: 2900-3500 m, Colombia: 2500-3920 m, Ecuador: 3150-4200 m, Peru: 3900-4000 m, Bolivia: 3570-4800 m). Distribution: Southern Mexico, Venezuela to northern Peru, and apparently disjunct to central Bolivia.
Campylopus pittieri is often a moderately large species, with equally foliate stems to 8 cm, leaves 6-8 mm long, costa nearly the entire width at leaf base, ventral hyalocysts large, twice or more high than wide, dorsal with alternating chlorocyst and hyalocysts cells, alar cells absent, basal cells long rectangular and thin-walled, at the margin forming a border of 5-15 rows of narrower cells, upper cells irregularly quadrate to short rectangular or oval. Synonyms include Campylopus renneri Herzog, Paraleucobryum densifolium Thér. (and var. congestum Thér., var. latilimbatum Thér.).