Albizzia lophantha Benth. Auckland. Campbell's Bay, January, 1954, E.E.Chamberlain. Beilschmiedia tawa (A.Cunn.) Hook.f. & Benth. Auckland. Te Whaiti, 1,500 ft., June, 1951, J.M.Dingley. Taneatua Reserve, 50 ft., May, 1952, G.H.C. Lake Rotoehu, 1,200 ft., June, 1952, G.H.C. Wellington. Lake Papaetonga, 50 ft., August, 1952, G.H.C. Cyathea medullaris (Forst.f.) Swartz. Auckland. Mt. Atkinson, Waitakeres, 800 ft., May, 1950, J.M.Dingley. Rhipogonum scandens Forst. Wellington. Carter's Bush, Carterton, 150 ft., December, 1952, G.H.C., type collection, P.D.D. herbarium, No. 11849.

Hymenophore annual, adnate, membranous-coriaceous, effused forming linear areas to 30 x 1-5 cm., or sometimes small scattered discrete elliptical colonies to 3 x 1 cm.; surface cream then alutaceous, even, at length becoming finely areolately creviced; margin thinning out, white, fibrillose, adnate. Context 30-100 µ thick, alutaceous, composed of a narrow basal layer of cemented repent hyphae, an intermediate layer of scanty woven hyphae associated with numerous dichophyses arranged in one or several vague layers and numerous gloeocystidia compacted into a palisade near the base; generative hyphae to 3 µ diameter, wall 0.25 µ thick, hyaline, branched, septate, with clamp connections. Hymenial layer somewhat obscure, to 40 µ deep, of basidia, paraphyses, gloeocystidia and dichophyses. Basidia cylindrical, projecting to half their length, 24-30 x 5-6 µ, 4-spored, soon collapsing; sterigmata slender, upright, 6-8 µ long. Paraphyses scanty, subclavate, smaller than the basidia. Gloeocystidia flexuous-cylindrical, when irregular in length and shape, projecting slightly, or not, 40-56 x 8-10 µ, with apex rounded or drawn into an acute point, at base inflated, also crowded near the base when ovate, oval or pyriform, 18-20 x 9-12 µ. Dichophyses staining deeply, somewhat irregular in shape and branching, 16-30 µ across, twice or thrice dichotomously branched, terminal ends acute, curved or straight. Spores elliptical, some obovate, apex rounded, base apiculate, sometimes obliquely so, 8-12 x 5.5-6.5 µ, soon collapsing, wall hyaline, smooth, 0.2 µ thick.

DISTRIBUTION. New Zealand.

HABITAT. Effused on bark of dead branches and tern stipes.

Hymenophorum adnatum, membranaceum, effusum; superficie cremea, deinde alutacea, tenuiter areolatae rimosa; margine albo, fibrilloso, adnato. Contextus 30-100 µ crassus, alutaceus. Basidia cylindrata, 24-30 x 5-6 µ. Gloeocystidia flexuoso-cylindrata, leviter vel non eminentia, 40-56 x 8-10 µ apicibus longo-acuminatis, in contextu ovata, ovalia vel piriformia, 18-20 x 9-12 µ. Dichophyses hyalini, 16-30 µ, libere ramosi. Sporae ellipticae, aliquot obovatae, apiculatae, 8-12 x 5.5-6.5 µ, hyalinae, laeves.

Chief diagnostic features are the elliptical spores, hyaline deeply staining dichophyses crowded in the hymenial layer and context, dense palisade of gloeocystidia in the hymenial layer and especially in the base of the context where they are compacted and many cemented. Basidia collapse immediately spores attain full size so are seldom seen in other than actively fruiting specimens. The species differs from V. racemosa (Burt) R. & J., which also possesses elliptical spores, by the presence of much larger well-developed dichophyses, differently shaped gloeocystidia which are more freely developed in the base of the context, and larger spores.

Rhipogonum scandens Forst. Wellington. Carter's Bush, Carterton, 150 ft., December, 1952, G.H.C., type collection, P.D.D. herbarium, No. 11849.

Albizzia lophantha Benth. Auckland. Campbell's Bay, November, 1946, Mrs. E.E.Chamberlain. Aristotelia serrata (Forst.f.) Oliver Westland. Weheka, 600 ft., November, 1946, J.M.Dingley. Beilschmiedia tawa (A.Cunn.) Hook.f. & Benth. Auckland. Lake Rotoehu, 1,200 ft., May, 1952, G.H.C. Lake Okataina, 1,400ft., December, 1953, G.H.C. Wellington. Pohangina Reserve, 200 ft., September, 1953, G.H.C. Coriaria arborea Linds. Auckland. Atkinson Park, Waitakeres, 800 ft., June, 1953, J.M.Dingley. Cupressus macrocarpa Hartw. Auckland. Campbell's Bay, Jannary, 1953, E.E.Chamberlain. Hedycarya arborea Forst. Auckland. Huia, October, 1953, J.M.Dingley. Leptospermum scoparium Forst. Auckland. Kohekohe, near Waiuku, February, 1953, J.M.Dingley. Leucopogon fasciculatus (Forst.f.) A.Rich. Auckland. Cornwallis, 50 ft., April, October, 1953, J.D.Atkinson. Melicytus ramiflorus Forst. Auckland. Kauaeranga, Thames, October, 1950, J.M.Dingley. Muehlenbeckia australis (Forst.f.) Meissn. Wellington. Rata, 100 ft., January, 1954, G.H.C. Otago. Taieri Mouth, 200 ft., May, 1952, G.T.S.Baylis. Myrtus bullata Sol. Wellington. Bruce's Reserve, Hunterville, 400 ft., September, 1953, G.H.C. Myrtus pedunculata Hook.f. Wellington. Carter's Bush, Carterton, 150 ft., December, 1952, G.H.C. Olearia sp. Otago. Bragg's Bay, Stewart Island, February, 1954, J.M.Dingley. Oxylobium sp. Auckland, Campbell's Bay, November, 1946, Mrs. E.E.Chamberlain. Podocarpus totara Don. Auckland. Te Kuiti, January, 1953, J.D.Atkinson. Wellington. Carter's Bush, Carterton, 150 ft., December, 1952, G.H.C. Rhabdothamnus solandri A. Cunn. Auckland. Manaia, Whangarei Heads. October, 1947, J.M.Dingley. Rhipogonum scandens Forst. Wellington. Pohangina Reserve, 200 ft., September, 1953, G.H.C. Rubus australis Forst. Auckland. Clevedon, August, 1949, J.M.Dingley. Wellington, Carter's Bush, Carterton, 150 ft., December, 1952, G.H.C., type collection, P.D.D. herbarium, No. 11838. Ohakune, 2,000 ft., December, 1953, J.M.Dingley. Otago. Ryan's Creek track, Stewart Island, February, 1954, J.M.Dingley.

Hymenophore annual, sometimes reviving a second season, adnate, membranous, effused forming linear areas to 25 x 3 cm., or as frequently numerous small elliptical scattered colonies to 2 x 1 cm.; surface white, becoming cream, alutaceous or occasionally pinkish-buff, even, at length areolately creviced mainly in the centre; margin thinning out, white, fibrillose, adnate. Context 60-400 µ thick, cream, sometimes arranged in two layers, composed of a narrow base of parallel hyphae, an intermediate layer of scanty woven hyphae, dichophyses, gloeocystidia and crystals scattered or arranged in groups or lenses; generative hyphae to 4 µ diameter, wall 0.2 µ thick, hyaline, branched, septate, with clamp connections. Hymenial layer to 50 µ deep, composed of a palisade of basidia and paraphyses, gloeocystidia and dichophyses. Basidia subclavate, 35-56 x 6-9 µ, projecting to 20 µ, 4-spored, sterigmata upright, slender, to 8 µ long. Paraphyses subclavate, shorter and narrower than the basidia. Gloeocystidia abundant or scanty, in the hymenial layer cylindrical with rounded apex, scarcely or not projecting, 40-60 x 5-6 µ, in context clavate, obovate, fusiform, sometimes moniliform, often distorted and forked at the base, 24-60 x 6-12 µ. Dichophyses arranged in one or two dense zones in the hymenial layer and scattered through the context, staining deeply, 14-16 µ across though sometimes much smaller, irregularly twice or thrice branched, terminal ends acute or blunt, short; in context lax and scantily branched, resembling asterophyses. Spores fusiform with bluntly acuminate apices and long-acuminate bases, or sometimes clavate fusiform with rounded apices and irregularly curved above apiculate ends, 14-17 x 4-6 µ, wall hyaline, smooth, 0.25 µ thick, soon collapsing.

DISTRIBUTION. New Zealand.

HABITAT. Effused on bark of dead branches.

Hymenophorum adnatum, membranaceum, effusum; superficie alba, deinde cremea, alutacea vel interdum roseo-bubalina, areolatae rimosa; margine albo, fibrilloso, adnato. Contextus 60-400 µ crassus, cremeus. Basidia subclavate, 35-56 x 6-9 µ. Gloeocystidia in hymenio cylindrata, apicibus rotundis, non eminentia, 40-60 x 5-6 µ, in contextu obclavata, obovata vel fusiformis saepe distorta, 24-60 x 6-12 µ. Dichophyses hyalini, 14-16 µ, libere inaequaliter ramosi. Sporae fusiformes, apicibus obtuso-acuminatis et basibus longo-acuminatis, aliquot clavato-fusiformes, 14-17 x 4-6 µ, hyalinae, laeves.

Spores, though similar in shape, are of larger size than those of V. investiens. They vary appreciably in both features, most being fusiform with long-acuminate sometimes geniculated basal ends. Gloeocystidia are abundant in the hymenial layer and in shape cylindrical or subclavate with rounded apices; in the context they vary appreciably in size and shape, many being bifid or distorted. Dichophyses of the hymenial layer resemble those of V. protrusa though usually more freely branched and with narrower branchlets; in the context they are more lax with elongated branches, resembling slender asterophyses. Collections from Beilschmiedia tawa possess more lax dichophyses, especially in the context, but in other features agree with the type.

Wellington, Carter's Bush, Carterton, 150 ft., December, 1952, G.H.C., type collection, P.D.D. herbarium, No. 11838.

Callitris cupressiformis Vent. Auckland, Huia, October, 1953, J.M.Dingley. Dacrydium cupressinum Sol. Auckland. Mairoa Forest, Wairakei, March, 1953, J.M.Dingley. Leptospermum ericoides A.Rich. Auckland, Cornwallis, November, 1952, J.D.Atkinson, type collection, P.D.D. herbarium, No. 11859. Leptospermum scoparium Forst. Auckland, Anawhata Road, Waitakeres, 1,000 ft., October, 1946, August, 1949, J.M.Dingley. Leucopogon fascicularis (Forst.f.) A.Rich. Auckland, Cornwallis, September, 1953, J.D.Atkinson.

Hymenophore annual, adnate, membranous, effused forming irregular colonies to 5 x 2 cm., with numerous outlying islands; surface cream, sometimes pallid pink, buff, or pallid plum, becoming creviced exposing the white context; margin thinning out, fibrillose, adnate, white. Context 80-150 µ thick, white, composed of a thick basal layer of closely arranged parallel hyphae, a narrow intermediate layer of woven mainly upright hyphae, and scattered crystals; generative hyphae to 3 µ diameter, wall 0.25 µ thick, branched, septate, with clamp connections. Hymenial layer to 60 µ deep, of basidia, paraphyses, gloeocystidia and dichophyses. Basidia subclavate, 35-44 x 7-9 µ, 4-spored; sterigmata upright, slender, to 8 µ long. Paraphyses subclavate, about half the size of the basidia. Gloeocystidia abundant, confined to the hymenial region, projecting to 64 µ, cylindrical with rounded apices, 40-80 x 7-10 µ, wall 1 µ thick. Dichophyses confined to the hymenial region, staining deeply, 12-24 µ across, several times branched, ultimate branchlets 0.5-2 µ long. Spores fusiform, lacrimiform, or pyriform with bluntly acuminate apex and long acuminate base, apiculate, 11-16 x 5.5-7 µ, often adhering in fours, wall smooth, hyaline, 0.25 µ thick.

DISTRIBUTION. New Zealand.

HABITAT. Effused on bark of dead branches.

Hymenophorum adnatum, membranaceum, effusum; superficie cremea, interdum pallide rosea vel bubalina, rimosa ; margine albo, fibrilloso, adnato. Contextus 60-150 µ crassus, albus. Basidia subclavata, 35-44 x 7-9 µ. Gloeocystidia in regione hymenii modo reperta, ad 64 µ eminentia, cylindrata, apicibus rotundis, 40-80 x 7-10 µ, parietibus 1 µ crassus. Dichophyses hyalini, 12-24 µ, libere ramosi. Sporae fusiformes, lacrimiformes vel piriformes, 11-16 x 5.5-7 µ, hyalinae, laeves.

Resembling V. fusispora in macrofeatures and shape of the spores, the species may be separated by the projecting gloeocystidia which are confined to the hymenial region, different dichophyses, and thick basal layer of the context. Gloeocystidia are abundant and project for the greater part of their length, well above the basidia. Because of this unusual feature the specific name has been given. Dichophyses are more scantily developed, possess shorter lateral branches than others described, and are confined to the upper part of the hymenial region. The thick, compact layer of parallel hyphae forming the basal layer of the context is also an unusual feature. Basidia of this and the following species [V. fusispora] are subclavate. Spores are formed when basidia are fully exerted and remain attached, often in fours, after basidia have collapsed. Two collections possess a pink surface which in parts may be pinkish-buff or pallid plum colour; as in other features they agree with the type they are considered to be colour forms only.

Leptospermum ericoides A.Rich. Auckland, Cornwallis, November, 1952, J.D.Atkinson, type collection, P.D.D. herbarium, No. 11859