Encholirium horridum can be recognized easily, even when sterile, for the leaf blades reflexed, green to green-yellowish and with margin aculeate-serrulate (Fig. 57 - B; 58 - A & C). This last characteristic was not observed in any other species of Encholirium and, probably, was what caused the author of this taxon, very adequately, to use the epithet "horridum". In addition the rosettes and leaves sharply differ from the other species of the genus, and the seeds are long caudate (Fig. 57 - I), plus the magificent double raceme heterostichous inflorescences (Fig. 57 - A; 58 - A, also facilitate the recognition of E. horridum. This inflorescence type and seed also occurs in E. erectiflorum and E. gracile, respectively. For more details see comments under these taxa
Encholirium horridum forms large populations in the rocky Flora of the center to north Espírito Santo extending up to Minas Gerais in the municipal districts of Nanuque, Teófilo Otoni and Carlos Chagas (Fig. 25). As well as E. gracile, this species possibly,also occurs in the southern end of Bahia. In the same way, we have information that very similar plants were observed in the inselbergs of the north of Rio de Janeiro (close to the Municipal district of São Fidelis), but collections in this place have not yet been made.. These taxa (E. horridum and E. gracile) are the only ones of the genus that occur on the inselbergs inside the domains of the Atlantic forest. It is important to emphasize that the populations of these two species are suffering drastic reductions due to granite exploration in the whole area of distribution of these species (Forzza 1998). E. horridum was always found directly on rock (Fig. 58 - A). —SeeForzza 2001
