Fringed Extinguisher Moss

Encalypta ciliata is a narrowly defined species in structural features, among which the most distinctive is the calyptra. It consists of a long, narrow, erect or slightly curved, well defined rostrum and a segmented fringe that is pendant from a distinct ridge at the base of the cylinder. In addition, the peristome of E. ciliata is well developed and composed of obtusely lanceolate teeth. The spores have radial plicae on the proximal surface and are nearly smooth on the distal surface.

There is some variation in the following features in the Chinese populations: 1) most plants are robust, about 2–3 cm high, but a few are only 0.5–1.0 cm high; 2) length of the seta varies from 5 mm to 12 mm; 3) most plants have leaves with a mucronate apex, as is typical of E. ciliata, but some are nearly muticous.

Encalypta ciliata is among the most variable species of the genus in leaf shape, apex development, and costae length. A combination of excurrent costa, smooth capsule wall, and single peristome will serve to identify it.

Plants medium-sized to rather large, sometimes robust, 1–3(–3.5) cm high, green or yellowish green above, brown below, in dense tufts. Stems simple or sparsely branched; central strand not well developed. Leaves strongly twisted and incurved when dry, erect-spreading when moist, 3–6 mm long, obovate-oblong to lingulate, slightly undulate, apex acute and mucronate; margins recurved from the middle to the base; costa stout, shortly excurrent; upper cells rounded or rounded-quadrate to subquadrate, 12–15 µm wide, densely papillose, obscure; basal cells oblong, 26–39 µm x 10–13 µm, with distinctly reddish thickened transverse walls, several rows of marginal cells linear, thin-walled. Autoicous. Perichaetial leaves similar to upper stem leaves. Setae erect, yellowish or yellowish brown, 5–12 mm long, twisted above when dry; capsules cylindric, yellow or brown, 2–3 mm long, smooth or nearly so; peristome single, teeth short lanceolate, obtuse, pale yellowish, with sparse papillae above, brown, with dense papillae below; annuli undifferentiated; opercula with long straight beak. Calyptrae cylindric to narrowly cylindric, golden to golden brown, covering the whole capsules, smooth, with a basal fringe of triangular segments, with a long, curved or erect rostrum, 0.3–0.4 length of calyptra. Spores 32–35 µm in diameter, with numerous, radial plicae on the proximal surface, nearly smooth on the distal surface.

Stems to 20 mm, central strand absent. Leaves oblong to elliptic, 4-6 mm, apices broadly acute to rounded, mucronate to cuspidate, margins recurved below mid-leaf; costa excurrent or subpercurrent, narrow; laminal cells 10-20 µm,; basal cells rectangular, 50-120 µm, smooth; basal marginal cells weakly differentiated below, in 4-8 rows, elongate, smooth. Specialized asexual reproduction absent. Seta 4-14 mm, yellow to yellowish brown. Capsule cylindric, 2-3 mm, smooth, constricted below mouth, yellowish brown, exothecial cells rectangular, 50-120 µm; peristome single, yellowish red to hyaline, 16 teeth, lanceolate, to 0.3 mm high, papillose, erect; operculum 1-1.5 mm. Calyptra 3-7 mm, fringed at base, smooth or rarely papillose at apex. Spores 30-40 µm, plicae and pitted, brownish yellow.

Distribution: China, Japan, Iran, Europe, North and South America, Africa, and Papua New Guinea.

Habitat: on soil or thin soil over rocks, 1180 m to 4700 m.

Encalypta breviseta C. Müll., Nuov. Giorn. Bot. Ital., n. ser. 3: 103. 1896. Type. China: Shaanxi (Schen-si), “In medio monte Kuan-tou-san.” Jul. 1894, Giraldi s.n. (lectotype FI). Encalypta erythrodonta C. Müll., Nuov. Giorn. Bot. Ital., n. ser. 5: 172. 1898. Type. China: Shaanxi (Schen-si), in monte Kuan-tou-san, 5 Nov. 1896, Giraldi s.n. (lectotype FI). Encalypta laciniata Hedw. ex Lindb., Acta Soc. Sci. Fenn. 10: 18. 1871, nom. illeg. incl. spec. prior.

Encalypta ciliata var. microstoma Schimper