Stems 20--50 mm, central strand weak, small when present, cells very thin-walled. Leaves oblong-ovate to lanceolate, 2--4 mm; apices acute to acuminate, mucronate to apiculate; margins plane; costa percurrent to excurrent, narrow, papillose; laminal cells 8--16 µm; basal cells long-rectangular, smooth; basal marginal cells weakly differentiated, longer than laminal cells forming border in leaf base. Specialized asexual reproduction absent. Seta 6--12 mm, brownish red to black. Capsule cylindric, 1--3 mm, ribbed, gymnostomous, brown; exothecial cells rectangular, walls thickened; peristome absent; operculum 1.5 mm. Calyptra 3--6 mm, lacerate at base, smooth. Spores 30--36 µm, irregular granulate, brown.

Mesic sites, soil and rock around waterfalls and seeps in mountain and alpine habitats; Greenland; Alta., B.C., Man., Nfld. and Labr. (Labr.), N.W.T., Nunavut, Que., Yukon; Ariz., Alaska, Colo., Mont., Wash.

Encalyta alpina is most distinct in its lanceolate leaves, apiculate leaf apices, and lacerate base on the calyptrae. It might be confused with E. rhaptocarpa but that species has a longer awn, ribbed capsule, and peristome.