The sporophores of this species first appear at the time when the buds of the host are beginning to swell; in Southland, in 1946, when most of the investigation was carried out, this occurred during the first week of September. Spore shedding starts early in October and reaches a peak towards the end of November. The first fructifications seen were growing from small twigs showing, little or no sign of gall formation; large galls produce fructifications later.

The galls are small in proportion to the diameter of the branch or stem, as compared with those of C. nigra; they usually occupy about two-thirds of the circumference of the branch and are flattened slightly at the point of origin. When a branch is completely girdled the upper part may die, in which case the death of the gall may follow. In contrast to C. nigra, galls on the main stem take the. form of rope-like encircling bands.. for example one sapling of 11 in d.b.h. had three galls, at 3ft, 4ft 2in. and 5ft 6in from the ground. The lowest was 2 in high and 12 in in circumference, leaving 1 in of bark unaffected, the middle gall was 12 in high and 10 in in circumference, and the highest was 1 1/2 in high and 11 in in circumference. The last two galls cornpletely encircled the stem. See Plate 12 C.

The surface of the gall appears smooth, but if the bark is removed the wood is found to be very uneven, being contorted and produced into sharp spines, the tips of which split into fibres which penetrate through the bark. It is from these points that the stromata develop. The scar left on the gall when the fructification falls is a white circular spot, with, in many cases, the remains of the central tube of fibres which pulls out of the stroma.

C. nigra comes nearest to C. espinosae Lloyd, but differs from it in colour, internal fibres and shape of apothecia. Both species have a smell resembling apricots. Galls of C. nigra resemble those of C. harioti. Sporophores of C. nigra occur about the same time as those of C. gunnii; the first shedding of spores in 1946 was noted on October 10. The galls are distinguished from those of C. gunnii by their large size in relation to the diameter of the host stem, and their greater height in proportion to diameter. One sapling of 3 in d.b.h. had a gall at 8ft from the ground, 30 in in circumference and 7 in high, completely encircling the stem. This was separated by only 2 in from another, 26 in in circumference and encircling the stem except for a space of 1 in.

Relatively larger galls are found on larger trees; galls of 3ft or more in diameter are frequent. Where the upper part of the attacked tree or branch dies, globose galls of a foot or more in diameter are common.

When the bark is removed the gall is seen to differ from C. gunnii in that the spines are very short and less numerous, they arise from bluntly rounded projections on the surface of the gall. The scar left when the fructification falls is orange in colour and may retain the orange cartilaginous tube from the stroma.

C. pallida appear to be nearest to the South American species C. berteroi Berk., but differs from it in colour, size, hollow mature stroma, internal fibres and length of paraphyses.

The first sporophores were seen in Southland in 1946, somewhat later than those of C. gunnii; spore discharge was noted on October 24.

The galls are of an entirely different type from those of C. gunnii or C. nigra. On twigs they appear as longitudinal rows of pimples erupting through the bark, and from these the sporophores arise singly. These galls spread and cause twisting of the branches, which become swollen and brittle; many branches die, others suffering from breakage due to wind. In large trees the crown becomes thin and the branches distorted.

The most striking deformity results from the fungus attacking a small shoot on the trunk of a sapling; in this case the fungus spreads down the twig and attacks the trunk. At first a ridge is formed beneath the bark, as growth proceeds the ridge divides into two and the final result is a paddle-shaped -all. As an example, a sapling of l ½ in d.b.h. had a gall extending 1ft above and 3ft below the source of infection, which was a small twig on the trunk. The canker was 3in wide and the stern three-quarters encircled. The same stem had several such cankers of larger or smaller size and the upper part had been killed by the attack. See Plate 12 B.

In these paddle-shaped galls the central area may be dead, covered by pimples, or may appear to be normal bark. Most of the sporophores occupy the margins of the galls.