Fruiting body a stalked sporangium, typically minute. Sporotheca globose, usually brown. Stalk hollow, tubular, typically translucent, often with a yellow base. Hypothallus discoid or not apparent. Columella a continuation of the stalk, usually reaching at least the centre of the sporotheca. Peridium membranous, translucent, fugacious or (less commonly) persistent. Capillitium present or absent, when present varying from a few short branches of the columella to a very open globose net, usually arising from the tip of the columella, occasionally along the sides. Spores dark in mass, pallid, brown or violet-brown by transmitted light.
The genus Macbrideola consists of approximately 15 species worldwide (Lado 2001), several of which are known from only a single locality. Just one species has been collected in New Zealand.