Encalypta rhaptocarpa Schwaegrichen 1811

Encalypta rhaptocarpa is widely distributed in the northern part of the flora area. It is somewhat similar to E. alpina, but differs in leaf shape and has a much longer excurrent costa, a peristome, and an entire or erose base on the calyptrae. Encalypta rhaptocarpa could be confused also with E. vittiana by the strongly ribbed and red color on the capsule, however E. vittiana has a shorter awn and fringed calyptrae. The peristome of E. rhaptocarpa generally presents as single row of reddish, broadly lanceolate teeth. Careful examination of some specimens reveals a preperistome of very short, stubby projections ringing the outside of the main teeth.

The Chinese material of this species includes both Encalypta rhaptocarpa s. str. and E. rhaptocarpa s. lat. Encalypta rhaptocarpa s. str. is characterized by its oblong-ovate to spathulate leaves, with long, hyaline or yellowish hair-points, its capsules with prominent, longitudinal plicae and more or less reddish ribs, its reddish single peristome teeth, its calyptrae with rostrum 1/4 –1/3 the length of the calyptra, and its spores with warty protuberances on the distal surface. A distinctive form of E. rhaptocarpa s. lat. that occurs in China is differentiated from E. rhaptocarpa s. str. by longer capsules (3–4 mm versus 1.5–2.5 mm) and calyptrae (6–7 versus 4–5 mm), and the lack of a peristome. This species has been reported from China as E. spathulate (X.-L. Bai 1987), but the plants and the capsules of the latter are considerably smaller and shorter, and its calyptrae generally have a short fringe.

Stems 10-30 mm, central strand absent. Leaves oblong-lanceolate, 2.5-3.5 mm, apices acute to short-acuminate, mucronate to hair-pointed; margins plane; costa percurrent to long-excurrent, smooth distally; laminal cells quadrate to subhexagonal, 12-20 µm; basal cells rectangular, 20-70 µm, smooth; basal marginal cells not differentiated. Specialized asexual reproduction absent. Seta 8-10 mm, reddish brown. Capsule cylindric, 2.5-3 mm, ribbed, brown to brownish red, ribs dark red; peristome single, reddish brown, teeth lanceolate 0.5 mm high, papillose, occasionally with a preperistome ring of very short and stubby projections, papillose, erect and brittle; operculum 0.5 mm. Calyptra 3-4 mm, entire to erose at base, smooth to papillose proximally, papillose on rostrum. Spores 35-40 µm, warty, brown.

Plants small, 0.5–1.0 cm high, green or yellowish green, in tufts. Stems simple; central strand not well developed. Leaves twisted when dry, erect-spreading when moist, 2.1–3.5 mm long, oblong-ovate, oblong-lingulate to spathulate, apex broadly rounded, muticous or hair-pointed; margins plane; costa stout, ending below the apex, percurrent or excurrent; upper cells rounded to quadrate, 8–25 µm wide, densely papillose, obscure; basal cells oblong, 26–70 µm x 8–26 µm, with reddish, distinctly thickened transverse walls, several rows of marginal cells linear, 26–65 µm x 5–11 µm, thin-walled and pale. Autoicous. Perichaetial leaves similar to upper stem leaves. Setae yellowish to reddish brown, 1.5–7.0 mm long, erect, twisted above when dry; capsules cylindric, ca. 1.5–4.5 mm long, smooth or with dark reddish, longitudinal ribs; peristome teeth absent or single, lanceolate, pale golden, densely papillose; annuli undifferentiated; opercula with a long, straight beak. Calyptrae cylindric, smooth, reaching the base of capsules, with a rostrum 0.2–0.3 length of calyptra, basal margins somewhat irregular. Spores 24–35 µm in diameter, nearly smooth on proximal surface, with large warty papillae on distal surface.

Distribution: China, Japan, North and Middle Asia, Europe, North America, Iceland, and Greenland.

Habitat: on soil slopes or thin soils over rocks, sometimes in low wetland.

Encalypta intermedia Juratzka; E. rhabdocarpa Schwägrichen; E. rhaptocarpa var. microstoma Limpricht; E. rhaptocarpa var. subspathulata (Müller Hal. & Kindberg) Flowers; E. vulgaris var. rhaptocarpa (Schwägrichen) E. Lawton

Encalypta rhaptocarpa là một loài rêu trong họ Encalyptaceae. Loài này được Schwägr. mô tả khoa học đầu tiên năm 1811.