Encalypta altunense S. Mamtimin & E. Sabiram, 2018

Esrayil, Sabiram, Sulayman, Mamtimin & Wang, Xiaorui, 2018, Encalypta altunense S. Mamtimin & E. Sabiram sp. nov. (Encalyptaceae, Musci), a new moss species from Xinjiang, northwestern China, Phytotaxa 357 (2), pp. 153-158 : 154

Encalypta altunense S. Mamtimin & E. Sabiram , sp. nov. ( Fig. 1 , 2 )

Type: CHINA, Xinjiang, Ruoqiang County, Altun Mountains National Nature Reserve, Exakkaxtisay, alpine grassland, alt. 3900–4000 m, 37˚10ʹ55.5ʹʹN, 90˚32ʹ55.5ʹʹE, 16 July, 2011, Mamtimin Sulayman 16753 (holotype, XJU).

Diagnosis: The new species differs from its congeners by having 3–4 single-celled teeth present at the apex, distal leaf lamina cells obscure with dense five-pointed star or irregularly forked papillae and spores with large papillae on distal surface.

Plants small and growing tight together. Stems short, 10–13 mm long, branched. Leaves small and becoming bigger towards the apex, incurved when dry, erect-spreading to reflexed when moist, elliptic to oblong-ovate, concave, 0.4– 1.6× 0.16–0.55mm; round-obtuse above, 3–4 single-celled teeth present at the apex; old leaves base abruptly broader, with distinct shoulders; margins plane or incurved near the apex, often with crenulate-papillae proximally, entire distally; costae strong, ending below the apex; distal leaf lamina cells rounded to rounded-quadrate, thick-walled, dorsiventral with dense five-pointed star or irregularly forked papillae; proximal leaf lamina cells usually rectangle, lax, smooth, with reddish brown and thicker transverse walls, marginal cells differentiated, linearly rectangular. Monoicous. Setae single, erect, often twisted above when dry, 2–2.8 mm long. Capsules erect, cylindric, symmetric, smooth; opercula high-conical with a straight long-rostrate beak; peristome single, linearly lanceolate, usually joint at base pair-wise, with dense and large papillae. Calyptra cuculate, cylindrical, covering the whole capsule, smooth, with long-erect rostrum, about 2/5 length of the calyptra. Spores yellowish brown, 30–32 μm in diameter, with large papillae on distal surface.

Distribution: The new species is only known from the type locality.

Habitat: The new species has been found on soil in alpine grassland. Associated moss species include Funaria microstoma Bruch ex Schimp. , Bryum uliginosum (Brid.) Bruch & Schimp. , Distichium capillaceum (Hedw.) Bruch & Schimp. and Bryum ceaspiticium Hedw.

Etymology: The specific epithet ‘altunense’ refers to the locality of the type specimen, Altun Mountains.

Paratypes: the same as the type locality, 16 July, 2011, A. Anwarjan 321 (XJU).

Figures

FIGURE 1.A–T.Encalypta altunense S. Mamtimin & E. Sabiram.A–E. Plant. F. Calyptra. G–O. Vegetative leaves. P–Q.Apical leaf cells and median leaf cells. R. Peristome. S. Spores. T. The cross section of leaf. (from the holotype: S. Mamtimin 16753, XJU).

FIGURE 2. A–L. Encalypta altunense S. Mamtimin & E. Sabiram. SEM images. A–B. Dorsal surface. C–D.Ventral surface. E. Plant. F. Capsule. G. Calyptra. H. Broken peristome. I. Spore. J. Exine ornamentation. K. Spore. L. Exine ornamentation. (from the holotype: S. Mamtimin 16753, XJU).