Fruiting body a stalked sporangium. Sporotheca spherical to cylindrical. Stalk usually at least half of the total height, consisting of intertwined fibres at least at the base, sometimes hollow. Hypothallus membranous, ranging from inconspicuous to contiguous for a group of sporangia. Peridium usually fugacious, sometimes leaving flakes or a small collar around the stalk. Columella reaching from at least half way or often all of the way to the apex of the sporotheca. Capillitium of thread-like tubules, connected the columella along its whole length, branched, usually without expansions and forming an internal net, sometimes with a net on the surface which also may be fragmentary, usually with loops or with free ends on the periphery. Spores in mass usually dark brown.
Approximately 35 species of Comatricha have been described worldwide (Lado 2001); five of these are known from New Zealand.