Plants of the Gila Wilderness

Presented in Association with the
Western New Mexico University Department of Natural Sciences

Encalypta rhaptocarpa Schwägr.

Family: Encalyptaceae

Status: Native

Synonyms:
Encalypta ciliata var. rhaptocarpa (Schwägr.) Hook. & Taylor
Encalypta vulgaris var. rhaptocarpa (Schwägr.) E. Lawton
Leersia rhaptocarpa (Schwägr.) Lindb.

Encalypta rhaptocarpa is easy to recognize to the genus by virtue of the characteristic light brown and long rostrate calyptra that covers the entire sporophyte. It is recognized to species in New Mexico by virtue of the long hairpoint present on many of the vegetative leaves. In addition, the long nose on the calyptra is papillose. The mature capsule has a peristome present but reduced. We found Encalypta rhaptocarpa with immature capsules on soil over rock at middle elevation in Ponderosa pine forest.
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Encalypta rhaptocarpa, photo Russ Kleinman, Karen Blisard, & Kelly Allred, San Miguel Cty., Hwy 65 northwest of Las Vegas at the fishing dam, June 8, 2022



Encalypta rhaptocarpa, photomicrograph of dry habit, photo Russ Kleinman, Karen Blisard, & Kelly Allred, San Miguel Cty., Hwy 65 northwest of Las Vegas at the fishing dam, June 8, 2022



Encalypta rhaptocarpa, photomicrograph of dry calyptra, photo Russ Kleinman, Karen Blisard, & Kelly Allred, San Miguel Cty., Hwy 65 northwest of Las Vegas at the fishing dam, June 8, 2022



Encalypta rhaptocarpa, photomicrograph of moistened stem, photo Russ Kleinman, Karen Blisard, & Kelly Allred, San Miguel Cty., Hwy 65 northwest of Las Vegas at the fishing dam, June 8, 2022



Encalypta rhaptocarpa, photomicrograph of dry stem, photo Russ Kleinman, Karen Blisard, & Kelly Allred, San Miguel Cty., Hwy 65 northwest of Las Vegas at the fishing dam, June 8, 2022



Encalypta rhaptocarpa, photomicrograph of single fertile stem, photo Russ Kleinman, Karen Blisard, & Kelly Allred, San Miguel Cty., Hwy 65 northwest of Las Vegas at the fishing dam, June 8, 2022



Encalypta rhaptocarpa, photomicrograph of single sterile stem, photo Russ Kleinman, Karen Blisard, & Kelly Allred, San Miguel Cty., Hwy 65 northwest of Las Vegas at the fishing dam, June 8, 2022



Encalypta rhaptocarpa, photomicrograph of rostrate end of calyptra, photo Russ Kleinman, Karen Blisard, & Kelly Allred, San Miguel Cty., Hwy 65 northwest of Las Vegas at the fishing dam, June 8, 2022



Encalypta rhaptocarpa, photomicrograph of papillae on rostrate end of calyptra, photo Russ Kleinman, Karen Blisard, & Kelly Allred, San Miguel Cty., Hwy 65 northwest of Las Vegas at the fishing dam, June 8, 2022



Encalypta rhaptocarpa, photomicrograph of leaf, photo Russ Kleinman, Karen Blisard, & Kelly Allred, San Miguel Cty., Hwy 65 northwest of Las Vegas at the fishing dam, June 8, 2022



Encalypta rhaptocarpa, photomicrograph of leaf, photo Russ Kleinman, Karen Blisard, & Kelly Allred, San Miguel Cty., Hwy 65 northwest of Las Vegas at the fishing dam, June 8, 2022



Encalypta rhaptocarpa, photomicrograph of leaf apex, photo Russ Kleinman, Karen Blisard, & Kelly Allred, San Miguel Cty., Hwy 65 northwest of Las Vegas at the fishing dam, June 8, 2022



Encalypta rhaptocarpa, photomicrograph of leaf base, photo Russ Kleinman, Karen Blisard, & Kelly Allred, San Miguel Cty., Hwy 65 northwest of Las Vegas at the fishing dam, June 8, 2022



Encalypta rhaptocarpa, photomicrograph of upper leaf margin, photo Russ Kleinman, Karen Blisard, & Kelly Allred, San Miguel Cty., Hwy 65 northwest of Las Vegas at the fishing dam, June 8, 2022



Encalypta rhaptocarpa, photomicrograph of leaf cross section, photo Russ Kleinman, Karen Blisard, & Kelly Allred, San Miguel Cty., Hwy 65 northwest of Las Vegas at the fishing dam, June 8, 2022


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