Beilschmiedia tarairi (A.Cunn.) Benth. & Hook.f. Auckland: Russell Road, Ngaitonga Range, 300ft, June 1948, J.M.Dingley, type collection, P.D.D. herbarium, No. 6909. Beilschmiedia tawa (A.Cunn.) Hook.f. & Benth. Wellington: Weraroa, 50ft, July, 1919, G.H.C. Leptospermum ericoides A. Rich. Auckland: Western Hills, Whangarei, 300ft, May 1948, J.M.Dingley; Rereatukahia, Katikati, 500ft, September 1950, G.H.C. Podocarpus spicatus R.Br. Wellington: Lake Papaetonga, 50ft, October 1930, G.H.C. Vitex lucens Kirk. Auckland: Mt. Wellington, 150ft, May 1942, R.W.Denne

Hymenophore annual or perennial, coriaceous, pileate, sessile. Pilei effused-reflexed with broad resupinate bases, to 10 mm radius, 2.5-3.5 cm wide, applanate or umbonate and imbricate when to 2.5 cm radius, 4-6 cm wide, or resupinate when appearing as several orbicular discs of varying size (3-10 mm) scattered over the substratum; pileus surface chestnut-brown, hirsute, concentrically zoned and sulcate, radiately sulcate, when old becoming denuded partly or wholly and exposing the brown cortex; margin concolorous, inturned, crenate; hymenial surface grey when fresh, when dry bright chrome-yellow, even, or more often with raised radiating ridges, irregular spines or projections, finally sparsely creviced. Context ferruginous, 0.2-0.3 mm thick in the current layer, in stratose forms to 1 cm thick near the base, composed of compact mainly parallel hyphae with cemented walls, and a coloured cortex beneath the surface hairs; hyphal system monomitic; generative hyphae 3-4 µ diameter, walls 0.5 µ thick (to l µ thick in the cortex and surface hairs), pallid chestnut-brown, septate, branched, with prominent clamp connexions. Hymenial layer to 100 µ deep, a dense cemented palisade of basidia, paraphyses and gloeocystidia. Basidia sub-clavate, 32-56 x 7-9 µ, 2-4-spored; sterigmata arcuate, stout, to 10 µ long. Paraphyses slightly narrower and about two-thirds the length of the basidia. Gloeocystidia cylindrical or subclavate, arising in the base of the hymenium and traversing the hymenium, not projecting, scattered or crowded, 60-110 x 6-10 µ, collapsing and leaving lacunae in the hymenial layer of old specimens. Spores elliptical, oval, or obovate, some apiculate, 8-12 x 6-7.5 µ, walls smooth, hyaline, 0.2 µ thick.

DISTRIBUTION. New Zealand

HABITAT. Bark or decorticated decaying wood of erect trunks.

Hymenophorum perenne, coriaceum, sessile. Pileus effuso-reflexus vel umbonatus, saepe imbricatus, 1-2.5 cm radio, 4-6 cm latus; superficie castanea, hirsuta, concentraliter sulcata; superficies hymenii miniata, aequa vel inaequaliter radiatis striis vel raro spinis vel verrucis, parce rimosa. Contextus ferrugineus, 0.2-0.3 mm crassus; hypharum systema monomiticum; hyphae generatoriae 3-4 µ diam., parietibus 0.5 µ crassis, pallide brunneae, septatae, nodulosae. Basidia subclavata, 32-56 x 8-9 µ. Gloeocystidia cylindricalia, 60-110 x 6-10 µ. Sporae ellipticae, ovales vel obovatae, 8-12 x 6-7.5 µ, leves, hyalinae.

One of the most easily recognized species present in New Zealand, S. aotearoa may be differentiated by the hirsute and zoned pileus, long gloeocystidia, brown hyphae of the context, monomitic hyphal system, large broadly elliptical spores and chrome-yellow colour of the hymenial surface. The species is perennial, as is shown by numerous zones in the context of old specimens. Though even in young specimens, as plants age the hymenium may become radiately lamellate, studded with irregular warts, or even shallowly rugulose-porose. Sections are striking; for the generative hyphae are brown, cortex deep chestnut-brown and cemented, and the hymenial layer is hyaline. Basidia are large, firmly compacted into a palisade with associated paraphyses and gloeocystidia, and collapse as soon as spores are shed. Gloeocystidia are difficult to detect unless sections are taken from margins of growing tissues; for contents are colourless and the walls soon collapse, leaving cavities in the base of the hymenial layer.
Nothing resembling the species was seen in Kew herbarium. Filed under S. contrarium Berk. there is a collection of S. aotearoa ex "Puhi Puhi, N.Z., No. 221, T. Kirk". On the sheet Bresadola had written "An St. medicum Currey. Sed vix Stereum; ? Irpex. Non S. scytalis affine". Bresadola (1916, 232) referred both S. contrarium and S. scytale Berk. to S. princeps (Jungh.) Sacc., a different plant with acanthophyses. Our species does not resemble any of these. Its specific name is derived from the Maori name of New Zealand.

Beilschmiedia tarairi (A.Cunn.) Benth. & Hook.f. Auckland: Russell Road, Ngaitonga Range, 300ft, June 1948, J.M.Dingley, type collection, P.D.D. herbarium, No. 6909.

Dracophyllum latifolium A.Cunn. Auckland: Mt. Te Aroha, 2,900ft, November 1946, G.H.C. Metrosideros robusta A.Cunn. Auckland: Upper Piha Valley, Waitakeres, 900ft, June 1946, April, 1948, J.M.Dingley; Stony Creek, Henderson, 600ft, April 1948, J.M.Dingley; Cascade Park, Waitakeres, 700ft, May 1948, J.M.Dingley; Ngaururu, Whangarei, June, 1948, J.M.Dingley, type collection, P.D.D. herbarium, No. 7019; Waiotapu, Rotorua, 1,200ft, June, 1950, J.M.Dingley; Glen Esk Valley, Piha, May, 1951, J.M.Dingley; Moumoukai Valley, Hunua Range, 1,000ft; March 1954, J.M.Dingley. Otago: Horse Shoe Bay, Stewart Island, February 1954, J.M.Dingley.

Hymenophore annual. membranous, loosely attached, scattered, becoming coalesced. Pilei commonly resupinate, or resupinate with raised margins when 1-5 mm radius, at first orbicular and consisting of numerous small scattered colonies 2-10 mm diameter, coalescing to form irregularly linear^- areas to 12 x 3 cm; pileus surface straw colour, with appressed fibrils radiately arranged, striate, occasionally zoned with different bands of colour, when resupinate margins thinning out, fibrillose, 1-3 mm wide, grey or isabelline; hymenial surface at first cream, with reddish blotches where injured, soon darkening to purplish or plum, not creviced but showing concentric ridges or angular lines of colour indicating coalesced margins. Context isabelline or wood colour, 0.1-0.25 mm thick, of parallel compacted hyphae, with a yellow cortex beneath pileus hairs; hyphal system monomitic; generative hyphae 3-4 µ diameter, walls 0.5-l µ thick, hyaline, freely septate, somewhat freely branched, without clamp connexions; scattered lenses of crystals embedded in tissues of the context and hymenium. Hymenial layer 50-90 µ deep, a dense palisade of basidia, paraphyses and conducting hyphae. Basidia subclavate, 28-35 x 6-8 µ, 2-4-spored; sterigmata slender, upright, to 6 µ long. Paraphyses subclavate, shorter and narrower than the basidia. Conducting hyphae arising in the base of the subhymenium and upper layers of the context, extending obliquely into the hymenium and projecting to 25 µ, 60-95 x 6-9 µ, filled with granules and oil globules, fuscus, walls 0.5 µ thick. Spores oblong with rounded ends, 7-10 x 5-6 µ, walls smooth, hyaline, 0.25 µ thick.

DISTRIBUTION. New Zealand.

HABITAT. Loosely attached on bark of dead branches and trunks.

Hymenophorum annuum, membranaceum, laxe adjunctum, resupinatum vel angustis reflexis marginibus, primo orbiculatum, 2-10 mm diam., deinde coalitum ad 12 x 3 cm; pileus 1-5 mm radio, exteriore parte appressis fibrillis, stramineus; superficies hymenii cremea, deinde sordido-brunnea, purpurea tincta, non rimosa. Contextus isabellinus, 0.1-0.25 mm crassus. Hypharum systema monomiticum; hyphae generatoriae 3-4 µ diam., parietibus 0.5-l µ crassis, hyalinae, septatae, enodulosae. Basidia subclavata, 28-35 x 6-8 µ. Hyphae adducentes, parietibus 0.5 µ crassis. Sporae oblongae, apicibus rotundis, 7-10 x 5-6 µ, laeves, hyalinae.

Both S. scutellatum and S. sanguinolentum possess monomitic hyphal systems, conspicuous conducting hyphae, and turn scarlet where cut or bruised on the hymenial surface. S. scutellatum differs in its scutelliform fructifications, which are commonly resupinate (or, if pileate, pilei are merely upturned margins), larger spores, broader basidia, and different host range. The hymenial surface is of different colour, not creviced at any stage, and is marked by colour lines or raised ridges where colonies have coalesced. The collection from Dracophyllum differs in several features, the context being thinner, basidia larger (40-56 x 10-12 µ), spores 10-12 x 6-7 µ. Until further collections come to hand, and it can be ascertained if these features are constant, it has been held under the present species. In actively growing plants conducting hyphae of S. scutellatum project, as is shown in the sectional drawing; but as plants age they collapse and are replaced with organs which do not extend beyond the surface.

Ngaururu, Whangarei, June, 1948, J.M.Dingley, type collection, P.D.D. herbarium, No. 7019

Aristotelia serrata (Forst.f.) Oliver. Auckland: Huia Filters, Waitakeres, 800ft, November 1948, J.M.Dingley; Lake Okataina, 1,400ft, December 1953, G.H.C. Westland: Fox Glacier, 600ft, November 1946, J.M.Dingley. Beilschmiedia tarairi (A.Cunn.) Benth. & Hook.f. Auckland: Kawau Island, December 1947, J.D.Atkinson. Beilschmiedia tawa (A.Cunn.) Hook.f. & Benth. Auckland: Mamaku Forest, 1,800ft, July 1946, G.H.C.; Waiatarua, Waitakeres, 900ft, November 1948, J.M.Dingley. Brachyglottis repanda Forst. Auckland: Mt. Te Aroha, 1,100ft, September 1954, G.H.C. Wellington: Mt. Pihanga, 2,000ft, October 1949, J.M.Dingley. Coprosma foetidissima Forst. Wellington: Lake Surprise, 3,000ft, March 1948, J.M.Dingley; Whakapapa, Mt. Ruapehu, 3,000ft, October 1949, J.M.Dingley. Westland: Weheka, 600ft, April 1955, J.M.Dingley; Okarito Forks, April 1955, J.M.Dingley; Hokitika Gorge, April, 1955, J. M. Dingley. Dacrydium cupressinum Sol. Auckland: Sprague's Hill, Henderson, 500ft, May 1947, J.M.Dingley; Cutty Grass Road, Waitakeres, 900ft, August 1948, J.M.Dingley; Anawhata Road, Waitakeres, 1,000ft, March 1949, J.M.Dingley; Waipoua Kauri Forest, September 1949, J.M.Dingley; Mairoa, March 1953, J.M.Dingley. Wellington: Mt. Hauhangatahi, 3,000ft, February 1952, G.H.C. Westland: Staircase Creek, Reefton, 2,000ft, November 1952, S.D.Baker. Elaeocarpus dentatus (Forst.) Vahl. Auckland: Scenic Drive, Waitakeres, 900ft, June 1949, J.M.Dingley. Fuchsia excorticata L.f. Auckland: Mamaku Forest, 1,800ft, September 1954, G.H.C. Taranaki: Mt. Egmont, 3,500ft, November 1924, J.C.Neill. Griselinia littoralis Raoul. Wellington: Whakapapa, Mt. Ruapehu, 3,000ft, October 1949, J.M.Dingley. Griselinia lucida Forst. Auckland: Ruatawhenua, Waitakeres, 900ft, August 1949, J.M.Dingley. Wellington: Oturere River, Mt. Tongariro, 3,500ft, December 1946, G.H.C. Hebe buxifolia (Benth.) Ckn. & Allan. Wellington: Whakapapa, Mt. Ruapehu, 3,000ft, October 1949, J.M.Dingley. Hebe salicifolia (Forst.) Ckn. & Allan. Auckland: Huia, July 1949, J.M.Dingley. Knightia excelsa R.Br. Auckland: Upper Piha Valley, Waitakeres, 900ft, August 1948, J.M.Dingley. Loranthus micranthus Hook.f. Otago: Alton Valley, Tuatapere, 400ft, February 1954, J.M.Dingley. Macropiper excelsum (Forst. f.) Miq. Taranaki: Mt. Egmont, 3,000ft, February 1927, J.B.Cleland-G.H.C. Metrosideros robusta A.Cunn. Westland: Weheka, 600ft, April 1955, J.M.Dingley. Otago: Upper Hollyford Valley, January 1950, J.M.Dingley. Myrtus bullata Sol. Auckland: Moumoukai Hill, Hunua Range, May 1949, J.M.Dingley. Nothofagus cliffortioides (Hook.f.) Oerst. Wellington: Whakapapa, Mt. Ruapehu, 3,000ft, October 1949, J.M.Dingley. Westland: Staircase Creek, Reefton, . 2,000ft, November 1952, S.D.Baker. Otago: Lake Manapouri, February 1948, J.M.Dingley. Nothofagus fusca (Hook.f.) Oerst. Wellington: Hutt Valley, September 1881, T.Kirk; Lake Papaetonga, August 1919, G.H.C.; Day's Bay, May 1922, J.B.Cleland. Westland: Orwell Creek, Ahaura, April 1955, J.M.Dingley; Glandville [sic; = Granville] Forest, April 1955, J.M.Dingley. Nothofagus menziesii (Hook.f.) Oerst. Otago: Lake Te Anau, 900ft, February 1948, J.M.Dingley. Nothopanax arboreum (Forst.f.) Seem. Otago: Longwood Range, 3,000ft, November 1924, J.C.Neill. Nothopanax edgerleyi (Hook.f.) Harms. Otago: Garden Mound, Stewart Island, February 1954, J.M.Dingley. Olearia furfuracea (DC.) Hook.f. Auckland: Rangitoto Island, August 1948, J.M.Dingley. Taranaki: Mt. Egmont: Mt. Egmont, 4,000ft, February 1952, G.H.C. Phyllocladus alpinus Hook.f. Wellington: Mt. Tongariro, 2,500ft, February 1952, G.H.C. Pittosporum colensoi Hook.f. Westland: Weheka, 600ft, November 1946, J.M.Dingley. Pittosporum tenuifolium Banks & Sol. Auckland: Earthquake Flat, Rotorua, 1,500ft, June 1952; G.H.C. Podocarpus ferrugineus Don. Auckland: Moumoukai Valley, Hunua Range, June 1949, J.M.Dingley. Waipoua Kauri Forest, September 1949, J.M.Dingley. Wellington: Ketetahi Springs, Mt. Tongariro, 4,800ft, October 1949, J.M.Dingley. Pseudopanax crassifolium (Sol.) Koch. Auckland: Waitetoko, Taupo, January 1954, S.D.Baker. Pseudowintera colorata (Raoul) Dandy. Taranaki: Mt. Egmont, 3,000ft, March 1951, J.M.Dingley. Quintinia serrata A.Cunn. Westland : Pukekura. November 1954, J.M.Dingley ; Weheka, 600ft, November 1954, J.M.Dingley Rhipogonum scandens Forst. Otago: Garden Mound, Stewart Island, February 1954, J.M.Dingley. Rhopalostylis sapida (Sol.) Wendl. & Drude. Auckland: Cutty Grass Road, Waitakeres, 900ft, August 1948, J.M.Dingley. Schefflera digitata Forst. Westland: Waiho, 600ft, November 1946, J.M.Dingley. Suttonia australis A.Rich. Westland: Weheka, 600ft, December 1946, J.M.Dingley. Suttonia salicina (Hew.) Hook. f.Auckland: Little Barrier Island, November 1947, J.M.Dingley; Cutty Grass Road, Waitakeres, 900ft, November 1948, J.M.Dingley. Weinmannia racemosa L.f. Taranaki: Mt. Egmont, 3,000ft, March 1951, J.M.Dingley. Westland: Lake Mapouriki, November 1946, J.M.Dingley; Okarito Forks, April 1955, J.M.Dingley; Weheka, 600ft, April 1955, J.M.Dingley; Hokitika Gorge, April 1955, J.M.Dingley. Otago: Pike River, December 1949, J.M.Dingley. Weinmannia sylvicola Sol. Auckland: Waipoua Kauri Forest, September 1949, J.M.Dingley.

Hymenophore annual, coriaceous, pileate, sessile. Pilei effused-reflexed when dimidiate and usually attached by a broad resupinate base, umbonate or cupulate when attached by a central base, sometimes imbricate when reflexed pilei arise from a common broad resupinate base, 2-25 mm radius, and width, when laterally connate forming linear areas to 15 x 1-2 cm; pileus surface clothed with coarse hairs usually aggregated into strigose tufts, either erect or imbricated, concentrically zoned or not, concolorous or showing occasional bands of darker colour, white or pallid straw colour; margin thinning out, not inturned or complicate, slightly lobed or entire, sometimes torn when old; hymenial surface cream, pallid ochre with flesh tints, or grey, concolorous or lighter peripherally, marked with concentric zones, or raised lines where colonies merge, sometimes dimpled centrally and radially crenate, not creviced. Context white or straw colour, 0.13-0.2 mm thick, a dense layer of parallel hyphae, sometimes with an interrupted colour zone beneath surface hairs; hyphal system dimitic; skeletal hyphae 6-8 µ diameter, lumen almost capillary, hyaline, sparsely septate, rarely branched; generative hyphae 3-4 µ diameter, walls 0.25 µ thick, branched, septate, without clamp connexions. Hymenial layer 30-50 µ deep, a dense palisade of basidia, paraphyses and cystidioid hyphae. Basidia subclavate, 16-22 x 4-5 µ, 4-spored; sterigmata slender, erect, to 5 µ long. Paraphyses subcylindrical, shorter and narrower than the basidia. Cystidioid hyphae penetrating the hymenial layer, scarcely projecting, 6-8 µ diameter, with a narrow lumen save near the apices, contents inconspicuous; crystal masses often embedded in the subhymenium. Spores cylindrical with rounded ends, narrowly elliptical, or suballantoid, sometimes apiculate, 4.5-5.5 x 2.5-3 µ, walls smooth, hyaline, 0.2 µ thick.

TYPE LOCALITY. Bay of Islands, New Zealand.
DISTRIBUTION. New Zealand, Australia, Tasmania.

HABITAT. Crowded or scattered on bark or decorticated wood.

Although exhibiting a similar microstructure to that of S. hirsutum and S. rameale, typical forms of S. vellereum may be separated readily. The pileus is covered with white or straw coloured strongly developed hairs, either scrupose or imbricately arranged. The colour zone beneath hairs is either wanting (the common condition) or scantily developed above the point of attachment, and not visible under a hand lens. In specimens from which hairs have been denuded the surface remains straw colour or dingy white. The context seldom exceeds 0-2 mm in thickness, consequently pilei are soft and leathery. Fructifications are either solitary, when attached by a broad base with a prominent resupinate portion, or more often broadly resupinate with one or two margins reflexed. They may coalesce and extend laterally, usually on small twigs or branches, for many centimetres. At points of fusion raised lines develop, a feature common in numerous specimens in the herbarium. The hymenial surface is usually grey or lead colour; but not infrequently it may be tinted pallid ochre or flesh colour. Large specimens may be separated from S. hirsutum by the different surface features, absence of a colour zone, thinner pilei and smaller spores; small plants from S. rameale by absence of a colour zone, usual retention of the surface hairs, absence of zones on the surface, thinner pilei which are rarely complicate. Cystidioid hyphae are present, as in the others, but less conspicuous since contents seldom discolour.
Although several workers have held the species to be a form of S. hirsutum, it is at least as distinct as S. rameale is from S. hirsutum. Bresadola (1916, 232) referred the species to S. friesii Lev., a very different plant. Judging from authentic collections examined in Kew herbarium the species is confined to Australasia.