Species within Buxbaumiidae are typically found in northern temperate to subtropical regions and are generally restricted to acidic or neutral substrates, such as rotten wood, rock, and soil. They are rarely encountered in tropical regions or the southern hemisphere.
There is considerable morphological diversity within the family, but a notable pattern is the relative size of the gametophytic and sporophytic generations. In most species, the sporophyte is macroscopically visible, while the gametophyte is extremely reduced, smaller than in most other bryophytes. The gametophyte bears acostate leaves arranged spirally around a short stem. Both male and female reproductive shoots arise from the same protonemal tissue. Each antheridium is typically surrounded by a single unicellular flap, while female shoots consist of 1–5 archegonia, each enclosed by 6–10 non-chlorophyllous leaves. These gametophytic shoots develop from a uniseriate, branched protonemal phase.
The sporophyte of Buxbaumiidae is particularly distinctive. The sporangium usually has an oblique to horizontal and asymmetric capsule surface, covered by a cucullate or mitrate calyptra. Both the neck and seta are short. The peristome consists of an endostome and, in some species, an exostome. The endostome is typically articulated and pleated into a cone-shaped structure, while the exostome may be irregular, rudimentary, or absent. These peristome features are important taxonomic characters. For example, in Buxbaumia, the endostome is colorless, truncate, and cone-shaped with 32 pleats, while the exostome consists of alternating grooves and pleats and can form up to four concentric rows of teeth.
The unique morphology of Buxbaumiidae, particularly the highly reduced gametophyte and spectacularly prominent sporophyte, makes them a remarkable and easily recognizable group among mosses.