ENCALYPTA TIANSCHANICA (MUSCI, ENCALYPTACEAE), A NEW SPECIES FROM WESTERN CHINA, WITH A KEY TO THE SPECIES OF ENCALYPTA IN XINJIANG

Encalypta tianschanica, a new Chinese endemic from Xinjiang province, is described, illustrated, and compared with E. buxbaumioidea T. Cao, C. Gao & X.-L. Bai, an Inner Mongolian endemic that has narrowly pyrif orm capsules and a strongly excurrent costa. The new species is distin guished by its ovoid capsules, which are abruptly contracted to a very small mouth, and by its costa ending well below the leaf apex. The pr esence of distally ''warty'' spores places the new species in section Rhabdotheca C. Muller. A key to the six species of Encalypta Hedwig in Xinjiang is included.