VICTORIA. Rubicon, Royston road, hypogeal in mixed eucalyptus forest, 16 May 1974, K. & G. Beaton 66; Buxton, Black range road, hypogeal in mixed eucalyptus forest, 14 May 1981, K. & G. Beaton, 2 km from Grey River Res., on Kennett River road, hypogeal at base of Eucalyptus globulus, 21 Sept. 1982, K. & G. Beaton 55.
TASMANIA. Hobart, Cascades, underground, Rodway 643 (type K).

Gasterocarp 1-2 cm diam., irregularly globose to depressed ellipsoid, attached by a basal rhizomorph. Peridium moderately well developed and mostly persistent, pale greyish pink or greyish orange (M.7.5YR/7.6/3.9), drying light brown, not viscid, smooth, drying wrinkled. Gleba at first pinkish ochraceous becoming dark brown, consisting of minute, full or partially filled chambers, 6-8 per µm, with some radial arrangement. Tramal plates up to 170 µm thick, translucent when fresh, drying greyish, composed of a broad gelatinized hymenophoral trama and very narrow subhymenial layers; peridial context not gelatinized, of much inflated, thin-walled hyphae, 3-35 µm diam.; clamp-connexions present on all hyphae but small and inconspicuous. Columella irregularly dendroid, thin, hyaline, gelatinous, poorly developed. Sterile base rudimentary, white. Spore deposit fuscous brown.
Spores 14.5-18.5(-20) x 7-9.5 (16 ± 0.8 x 8 ± 0.5) µm (excl. orn.), Q = 2.0, ellipsoid to limoniform, at times apically papillate, with a fuscous brown, thickened wall (-1.5 µm) bearing 8-10, subhyaline to pale brown costae (2-3 µm high), mostly running length of spore, widely spaced, occasionally forking. Basidia 27-33 x 6-8.5 µm, cylindric or slightly constricted, bearing two short sterigmata. Cystidia absent. Hymenophoral trama regular to subregular, hyaline, moderately gelatinized, of more or less parallel, thin-walled hyphae, 2.5-10 µm diam. Subhymenial layer poorly developed. Peridiopellis a narrow epicutis, 25-35 µm thick, of repent, loosely woven, narrow, branching hyphae, 2.5-7 µm diam.

Cunningham (1944: 76) referred to a layer of crystals separating the peridium from the gleba, but Zeller & Dodge (1934: 704) more correctly interpreted these as soil particles in loosely tangled hyphae. Such particles may or may not be present and should not be considered as a specific character. Cribb (1958: 153) reported G. albida from Queensland.

VICTORIA. Powelltown, junction of Leasmouth and Powelltown roads, hypogeal beside fallen eucalyptus trunk, 16 July 1974, G. Crichton & G. Beaton 65.

Gasterocarp 1-1.5 cm diam., irregularly subglobose, with basl attachment. Peridium persistent, pale brown, glabrous, finely wrinkled, on drying. Gleba dark umber brown (M.5.5Y/4.7/4.3), loculate, consisting of minute, full or partially filled, irregular chambers, 3-6 per µm, with slight radial arrangement. Tramal plates up to 200 µm thick, especially near the peridium, composed of a broad, gelatinous hymenophoral trama and moderately developed subhymenial layers; peridial context not gelatinized, hyaline, of thin-walled, inflated hyphae, 5-26 µm diam.; clamp-connexions present but inconspicuous. Columella small, dendroid, slender, gelatinous, at times scarcely present; sterile base small, discoid.
Spores symmetric, 11-15 x 6.5-7.5(12.5 ± 0.5 x 7 ± 0.5) µm (excl. orn.), Q = 1.78; ovoid to ellipsoid, not apically papillate, with a pale yellowish brown wall (-15 µm) bearing 8-11 longitudinal, subhyaline costae (-2 µm high), frequently anastomosing. Basidia 40-50 x 5-8.5 µm, cylindrico-clavate, bearing two, short, stout sterigmata. Hymenophoral trama subregular, hyaline, of subparallel, gelatinized hyphae, 2-10 µm wide, tightly interwoven. Peridiopellis a repent, agglutinated epicutis, 30-60 µm thick, of narrow, brown, thin-walled hyphae, 1.5-3.5 µm diam.

Worldwide.

Gasterocarp small, rarely more than 2 cm diam., subglobose or irregularly depressed, sessile, basally attached to rhizomorphs. Peridium thin, simple, often evanescent, rarely persistent and often absent at maturity, whitish or dull coloured. Gleba gelatinous-cartilaginous, whitish when young becoming brown, labyrinthoid to loculate, with minute, full or partially filled chambers. Tramal plates gelatinized; clamp-connexions present. Columella present, variable, simple or dendroid, gelatinous to translucent-cartilaginous; minute sterile base occasionally present. Spore deposit fuscous brown, forming a deep layer over the hymenium, Spores statismosporic, symmetric, 12-26 µm long, ovoid to ellipsoid or broadly fused, with a light to dark brown thickened wall bearing an exosporial ornamentation of longitudinal costae, mostly parallel but at times branching; hilar appendix conspicuous, cylindric, with a terminal hilar tear. Basidia cylindrico-clavate, 1-4 spored, bearing short sterigmata. Cystidia present or absent, inconspicuous. Hymenophoral trama subregular, gelatinized. Subhymenial layer poorly developed. Pileipellis a repent epicutis. Development angiocarpic. Hypogeal or subepigeal.

Type species: G. morchellifomis Vittad.

AUSTRALIA. Victoria, Eildon-Jamieson road, Big River bridge, hypogeal in mixed eucalyptus forest, 13 Sept. 1973, K. & G. Beaten 21; Rubicon, Royston road, hypogeal in wet eucalyptus forest, 16 May 1974, K. & G. Beaton, Apollo Bay, Maits Rest, in wet eucalyptus forest, 19 July 1982, K. & G. Beaton 41; Eildon-Bonnie Doon road, hypogeal in dry, mixed eucalyptus forest, 16 Aug. 1982, A. C. Beauglehole, K. & G. Beaton-, Portland, Lower Gleneig Nat. Park, River road, hypogeal under Melaleuca leucodendron L., 16 Sept. 1982, H. & C. Campbell & Y. Compton, Cathedral Range, Cathedral Park, Blackwood Flat, hypogeal under Eucalyptus radiata Sieber, 10 May 1983, K. & G. Beaton. TASMANIA. Rodway 117 (type of H. albellus, K). SCOTLAND. Glasgow, Botanic Garden, Oct. 1830, Hooker fit. (lectotype of H. albus, K).

asterocarp 0.5-2 cm diam., subglobose to pyriform, basally attached. Peridium thin, dingy white to pallid yellowish brown, glabrous, at times cracking, floccose and partially detersile. Gleba pale brown to ferruginous, loculate, of irregular, empty or partially filled chambers, very variable in size, without radial arrangement. Tramal plates up to 175 µm thick, white, with a narrow hymenophoral trama and very broad subhymenial layers; clamp-connexions present on all hyphae. Sterile base minute or none.
Spores 14-17(-19.5) x 7.5-11.5(16 ± 1 x 10 ± 0.5) µm (excl. myxosp.), Q = 1.6; limoniform, deep golden brown to fuscous brown, with a thickened wall bearing a coarsely rugulose exosporial ornamentation, overlain by a loose membranous, hyaline myxosporium. Basidia 28-33 x 9-11 µm, clavate, bearing two short sterigmata, and forming a regular palisadic hymenium. Hymenophoral trama regular, hyaline, of inflated, thin-walled hyphae, 3-18 µm diam. Subhymenial layer very well developed, 20-30 µm wide, pseudoparenchymatous. Peridiopellis an agglutinated, stratified epithelium, of hyaline, thin-walled elements, 26-40 x 13-30 µm, globose to pyriform.

Berkeley (1836: 229) gave the name 'Rhizopogon albus Bull.' to material collected by J. D. Hooker in the Botanic Garden, Glasgow, and this material was sent to Klotzsch. Klotzsch (1839) matched this to material gathered in the botanic garden at Grunewald, near Berlin, and redescribed it as Hymenangium albus Klotzsch, type species of the genus Hymenangium Klotzsch. The Glasgow specimens, labelled 'Hymenangium album' by Klotzsch are now located in the Kew Herbarium, whilst the Grunewald material is lost. Dodge & Zeller (1934: 641) recorded collections from many north temperate localities, in both Europe and North America, but commented that it was usually collected in pots of cultivated plants in greenhouses, often associated with eucalyptus, and Hawker (1954: 535) did not regard this species as indigenous in Western Europe. Cribb (1956: 126) confirmed the occurrence of H. albus in Australia, after matching Queensland collections to the Glasgow material. It is likely that Cribb accepted a broad species concept for she commented on the exceptional variability of the spore form, and her illustrations would suggest that some of the collections included H. zeylanicus and H. nanus in addition to H. albus. Examination of. H. albellus, based on gasterocarps gathered in Tasmania by Rodway, confirms this to be a later synonym of H. albus.
The mucronate spores and epithelial peridiopellis indicate a close affinity with H. zeylanicus, differing in the shorter and less fusoid spore-form. This is the most common and plentiful species of Hymenogaster in Victoria State.

TASMANIA. Wellington Falls, Feb. 1902, Rodway (type HO 58255). VICTORIA. Rubicon, Royston road, partially exposed in mixed eucalyptus forest, 16 May 1982, K. & G. Beaton 17; Beech Forest, Elliot's Track, sub-hypogeal in open area, 17 July 1975, A. W. Bennett in Beaton 67.

Gasterocarp 1-2 cm diam., subglobose, with basal attachment. Peridium very thin, chrome yellow (M.4Y/7.5/10.9) when fresh, drying caramel brown, dry, pruinose, glabrescent. Gleba dull greyish brown to ferruginous, loculate, with very small, compressed, irregular chambers, 3-5 per mm, with little or no radial arrangement. Tramal plates narrow, 25-40 µm thick, hyaline, with a broad hymenophoral trama and poorly developed subhymenial layers; hyphae 3-20 µm diam., thin-walled, lacking clamp-connexions. Sterile base scarcely present.
Spores statismosporic, orthotropic, mostly symmetric but many abnormal and asymmetric, 10.5-18 x 5-9.5(15 ± 1 x 6.3 ± 0.5) µm, Q = 2-4; elongate-fusoid with a tapering apex, with a thickened, yellowish brown wall, smooth. Basidia 20-25 x 7.5-10 µm, short clavate, bearing two short, straight sterigmata. Cystidia absent, but numerous inflated, isodiametric brachycystidia present between the basidia. Hymenophoral trama regular, hyaline, of parallel, thin-walled hyphae, 3-16 µm diam. Subhymenial layer very narrow, interwoven. Peridiopellis a thin epicutis, 10-30 µm thick, of repent, interwoven, thin-walled, non-inflated hyphae, 2.5-7 µm diam., with a yellow encrusting pigment; surface hyphae often erect or semi-erect but not forming a true trichodermium.

Hymenogaster aureus was described from Tasmania, and has been subsequently recorded from Queensland by Cribb (1956: 126) but was not hitherto known from Victoria. The brightly coloured gasterocarp occurs solitary, and is usually found only partially buried in the soil. The spores appear quite smooth under the light microscope but scanning micrographs reveal a very fine rugosity. Hymenogaster fusisporus (Massee & Rodw.) G. H. Cunn., also from Tasmania, is very similar but has a dull ochre brown peridium and hyaline, larger spores.

VICTORIA. Melba Gully walking track, near Lavers Hill, hypogeal in wet eucalyptus forest, 24July 1982, K. & G. Beaton 49; Royston road near Rubicon, hypogeal under mixed scrub, 10 May 1983, K. & G. Beaton.

Gasterocarp 6-20 mm diam., irregularly globose to ovo-ellipsoid, with basal attachment. Peridium pale ochraceous to dull cream colour or greyish, smooth and glabrous. Gleba dark ferruginous brown, loculate, with small, irregular, empty chambers, 1-2 mm diam., without radial arrangement. Tramal plates thin, 40-160 µm thick, white, consisting of a narrow hymenophoral trama and well developed subhymenial layers; clamp-connexions present on all hyphae. Columella none; steriles base minute, whitish.
Spores 17-24 x 9-12 (19.5 ± 2 x 11 ± 1) µm (excl. orn.), Q = 1.77, limoniform with a protracted, obtusely rounded mucronate apex, golden brown, thick-walled, bearing a strongly reticulate exosporial ornamentation (-2 µm high), overlaid by a hyaline, disruptive myxosporium. Basidia 45-56 x 10.5 µm, cylindrico-subclavate, bearing two, straight sterigmata; also numerous short ellipsoid, immature basidia. Hymenophoral trama regular, narrow, with parallel, inflated, thin-walled hyphae, 2-25 µm wide, pseudoparenchymatous. Peridiopellis a thin epicutis, 15-30 µm thick, of agglutinated, thin-walled, hyaline hyphae, 2.5-6 µm diam.

A hypogeal species growing in small clusters, either solitary or rarely confluent. The large, reticulately ornamented spores, exceeding 20 µm in length, easily distinguish this species

VICTORIA. Rubicon, Royston road, hypogeal in wet eucalyptus forest, 20 May 1974, K. & G. Beaton', Otway Range, Apollo Bay end of Turtons Track, hypogeal in wet eucalyptus forest, 27 Sept. 1982, K. & G. Beaton 58.  TASMANIA. Hobart, underground, Rodway 609 (type K).

Gasterocarp 1-2 cm diam., globose, ellipsoid or irregular, basally attached. Peridium about 1 mm thick, dingy white, drying light greyish brown, smooth, not viscid. Gleba light brown, drying darker, loculate, of globose or ellipsoid, empty or partially full chambers, with some radial arrangement. Tramal plates 100-150 µm thick, hyaline or pale brownish, consisting of a broad hymenophoral trama and poorly developed subhymenial layers; clamp-connexions present on all hyphae. Sterile base scarcely developed or absent.
Spores 13-16 x 7.5-8.5(14 ± 0.7 x 8 ± 0.5) µm (excl. myxosp.), Q = 1.75; obovoid to narrowly limoniform, often but not always with a mucronate apex, golden brown, with a thickened wall bearing a fine verrucose ornamentation, overlaid by a loose, hyaline myxosporium which often becomes detached at the base and or the apex. Basidia 32-27 x 7.5-9.5 µm, clavate, bearing mostly two short, tapering, straight sterigmata, but also forms with one or four sterigmata present; also numerous, immature, ellipsoid basidia. Hymenophoral trama regular, hyaline, of parallel, thin-walled hyphae, 3-14 µm diam. Subhymenial layer narrow, 10-15 µm wide, interwoven or indistinctly pseudoparenchymatous. Peridiopellis up to 200 µm thick, consisting of a loose and disrupted epicutis, with erect or semi-erect, inflated clavate elements, 12-40 x 6-14µm, sometimes producing an indefinite epithelium.

Hymenogaster nanus is extremely similar, and closely related, to H. albus, but differences in the narrower spores, the lack of a true epithelium in the peridiopellis, a poorly developed subhymenial layer, and a paler coloured gleba, are sufficient to maintain a distinction between the two species.

VICTORIA. Narbethong, Plantation road, hypogeal in roadside cutting, 3 June 1974, G. Beaten', Marysville, Acheron Way, hypogeal in wet eucalyptus forest, 18June 1976, G. Beaten', Marysville, Cumberland Res., hypogeal at base of a eucalyptus, 7 May 1982, K. & G. Beaten 12; 1-6 km NE of Mt Disappointment, hypogeal at base of Eucalyptus regnans F. Muell, 30 Aug. 1982, A. C. Beauglehole

Gasterocarp 10-15 mm diam., subglobose, pyriform or lobed, basally attached. Peridium dingy white when fresh acquiring yellowish tints on drying, smooth, dry and glabrous. Gleba greyish orange, drying light brown (M.1.5YR/4.8/5.5), loculate, with irregular, empty chambers, 1-3 per mm. Tramal plates up to 300 µm thick, consisting of a broad, hyaline, hymenophoral trama and well developed subhymenial layers; clamp-connexions present on all hyphae. Sterile base very small, white.
Spores 12.5-17.5 x 8-9.5 (15 ± 1.0 x 9 ± 0.5) µm (excl. orn.), Q = 1.67; broadly limoniform with a prominent mucronate apex, golden brown to fuscous, with a thickened wall (-1 µm) and a reticulate exosporial ornamentation (-1.5 µm high) overlaid by a loose, hyaline, disrupting myxosporium. Basidia 30-50 x 5-8 µm, elongate cylindrico-clavate, bearing mostly four, sometimes two sterigmata; also numerous short ellipsoid immature basidia present. Hymenophoral trama regular, hyaline, of parallel hyphae, 3-18 µm diam. Subhymenial layer well developed, 10-16 µm wide, pseudoparenchymatous. Peridiopellis a thin epicutis of repent, loosely woven, non-agglutinated hyphae, 2-4.5 µm diam.

Hymenogaster reticulatus was originally described from South Australia, but was also reported from Tasmania (Cunningham 1944: 53). It is closely related to H. macrosporus but is easily distinguished by the much smaller spores and the presence of tetrasporic basidia. Hymenogaster subtropicus Cribb, from Queensland, also belongs in this group with reticulately ornamented spores but has a bluish green peridium and smaller spores.
It is interesting to speculate on the possible origin of the reticulate-spored species of Hymenogaster, for such a pattern of ornamentation is not found elsewhere in the Cortinariales but is reminiscent of that found in certain species of the bolete genus Austroboletus (Corner) Wolfe, of which several species extend into Australasia.

VICTORIA. Powelltown, Pioneer Creek, hypogeal in mixed eucalyptus forest, 16 July 1974, G. Crichton & G. Beaton; Marysville, Cumberland Res., epigeal on thin soil over living root of Eucalyptus regnans, 7 May 1982, comm. Beaton 10. TASMANIA. Rodway 297 (type K).

Gasterocarp 1-3 cm diam., subglobose to pyriform, attached by a tapering base. Peridium bright greyish violet (M.3P/4.4/6.7), discolouring on drying to pale orange, paler towards the base, smooth and viscid. Gleba brownish orange (M.0.5YR/6.5/3.7), drying ferruginous, loculate, with empty chambers, 0.5-1 mm diam., globose to elongate, with a slight radial arrangement. Tramal plates up to 200 µm thick, hyaline, with a narrow hymenophoral trama and moderately developed subhymenial layers; clamp-connexions absent on all hyphae. Sterile base rudimentary; columella sometimes slightly developed.
Spores statismosporic, symmetric, 8.5-10.5 x 6-7(9.5 ± 0.5 x 6.5 ± 0.3) µm (excl. myxosp.), Q = 1.65, obovoid to broadly ellipsoid, golden brown, with a thickened wall bearing a verrucose ornamentation, overlaid by a hyaline, closely applied, membranous myxosporium which fragments and becomes detached. Basidia 28-42 x 6-10 µm, cylindric-clavate, bearing mostly four slender sterigmata, but sometimes also bisporic. Hymenophoral trama regular, hyaline, of strictly parallel hyphae, 2-10 µm diam., scarcely inflated. Subhymenial layer 9-11 µm wide, pseudoparenchymatous. Peridiopellis an ixodermium, 200-400 µm thick, of hyaline, thin-walled, uninflated, reprent to erect hyphae, 2-7 µm diam., embedded in a gelatinous matrix.

Although there is a slight development of both a sterile base and a columella, and gasterocarps may be hypogeal, subepigeal and even epigeal, nevertheless the statismosporic spore structure indicate Hymenogaster to be the most appropriate genus for the species. Cunningham (1944: 72 as Gymnoglossum violaceum) reported the species from Victoria, in addition to South Australia and the type locality. Hymenogaster purpureus Cribb, from Queensland, is very closely related, differing in having uniformly bisporic basidia and a finer ornamentation on the spores. The violaceus pigmentation disappears completely in dried material but the species can be readily separated from other Hymenogaster species by the ixodermial peridiopellis, the absence of clamp-connexions, and the spore characters.

VICTORIA. Clarendon, 859, Herb. Cooke (type of Protoglossum luteum, K). Lorne, Erskine Falls car park, hypogeal at base of Eucalyptus globulus, 20 July 1982, Beaten 42. TASMANIA. Hobart, underground, Rodway 270 (type of H. viscidus, K).

Gasterocarp 0.5-3 cm diam., exceptionally 4-5 cm high, globose, broadly ellipsoid or pyriform, sometimes tapering below and elongate, with basal attachment but lacking a stipe. Peridium thick, orange to reddish golden (M.6YR/5.8/8.3) when fresh, drying chestnut brown, smooth and viscid eventually wrinkled with a silky sheen. Gleba at first white, progressively becoming dark brown, loculate, consisting of empty chambers, up to 2 mm diam., angular or elongate, radially arranged. Tramal plates up to 500 µm thick, hyaline, consisting of a broad hymenophoral trama and very strongly developed sub-hymenial layers; clamp-connexions present but small and inconspicuous. Sterile base present, small, white; columella absent.
Spores statismosporic and symmetric, 11.5-14.5 x 7.5-9(13.5 ± 0.5 x 8.5 ± 0.3) µm (inc. myxosp.), Q = 1.58; obovoid to ellipsoid, golden brown, with a thickened wall with finely verruculose exosporial ornamentation, enclosed in a hyaline, membranous myxosporium which often appears reticulately wrinkled. Basidia 30-40 x 9-10 µm, clavate, bearing either two or four, narrow, straight sterigmata. Hymenophoral trama regular, hyaline, of parallel, thin-walled, inflated hyphae, 3-13 µm diam. Subhymenial layer strongly developed, 40-55 µm thick, a strongly developed ixodermium, overlaying a differentiated hypodermium, ixodermium of erect and semi-erect, narrow, non-inflated, hyaline hyphae, 2-4 µm diam., embedded in a hyaline, gelatinous matrix. Hypodermium of inflated, thin-walled hyphae, 3-30 µm diam., with an orange membrane pigment, forming agglutinated clusters at 40-80 µm intervals.

Massee (1891:97) proposed the genus Protoglossum, with P. luteum as the type and only species, from Victoria State, for a subepigeal fungus with a tapering subterranean base and an apex emergent at soil level. Cunningham (1944: 50) examined the type collection and found it to represent the same species that Massee & Rodway had earlier described under the name Hysterangium viscidum. Hymenogaster viscidus is easily recognized by several unique structures, including the complexity of the gelatinized peridiopellis, and the wrinkled myxosporium on the spores. It was illustrated by Cooke (1892: pi. 18/134) and by Rodway (1911: pi. 3/8).

Gasterocarp mostly over 1 cm diam., globose, ellipsoid, lobed or irregularly tuberous, frequently depressed at the base, sessile, indehiscent. Peridium thin to very thick, whitish, yellow, brownish, or with purplish to violaceous tints, often mottled, viscid or dry, smooth to finely velutinate, often becoming wrinkled, not separable from gleba. Gleba soft-fleshy to cartilaginous, labyrinthoid, mostly white when young becoming yellowish, lilaceous, violaceous, rusty brown, finally darker, of small chambers, round or elongate, empty or partially filled, more or less radially arranged from a small sterile base. Tramal plates thin. Hyphal system monomitic, with thin-walled, inflated generative hyphae; clamp-connexions more often present, occasionally absent. Columella absent; sterile base usually present but small in young gasterocarps.
Spores statismosporic, orthotropic, 10-20 µm or more long, ovoid-ellipsoid, amygdaliform or fusoid, at times apically mucronate, with a thickened wall, yellow, ochraceous brown or rusty brown, either smooth or bearing a verrucose to ridged ornamentation, and often a gelatinized myxosporium; hilar appendix small with a terminal hilar pore, sometimes retaining a sterigmal appendage. Basidia cylindrico clavate bearing 1-4 well-developed sterigmata, evanescent. Cystidia none. Hymenophoral trama regular, hyaline. Subhymenial layer pseudoparenchymatous. Peridiopellis a repent epicutis. Development angiocarpic. Hypogeal

World-wide.

Lectotype species (Dodge & Zeller, 1934: 629): H. bulliardii Vittad.

VICTORIA. Apollo Bay, Maits Rest, hypogeal in wet eucalyptus forest, 20 Sept. 1982, K. & G. Beaton 54. NEW ZEALAND. Wellington, Palmerston North, May 1923, Cunningham 8279. SRI LANKA. Hakgala, Dec. 1917, Fetch 5478, 5479; Mar. 1922, Petch 6437.

Gasterocarp 1-2 cm diam., subglobose or depressed, basally attached. Peridium thin, dingy white to yellowish brown, staining ferruginous on drying, glabrous, dry, smooth to rugose. Gleba cinnamon brown becoming dark brown, loculate, with small, irregular chambers, 0.5-1.5 mm diam., more elongated towards the peridium. Tramal plates up to 150 µm thick, white, consisting of a narrow hymenophoral trama and very broad subhymenial layers; clamp-connexions present on all hyphae. Sterile base absent or very minute and white. Spores statismosporic and symmetric, 14-20.5 x 6-10(18 ± l x 8± 0-5) µm (excl. myxosp.), Q = 2.25; ellipso-fusoid with a tapering apex, golden brown to fuscous brown, with a thickened wall bearing a finely rugulose exosporial ornamentation and overlaid by a loose, hyaline, membranous myxosporium which remains closely applied at the apex but becomes detached and torn around the base. Basidia 28-37 x 7-8.5 µm, elongate clavate, mostly bearing two straight sterigmata but also one or four sterigmata present; numerous immature ellipsoid basidia also present. Hymenophoral trama regular, hyaline, of inflated, parallel, very thin-walled hyphae 3-22 µm diam. Subhymenial layer very well developed, 30-45 µm wide, pseudoparenchymatous. Peridiopellis a stratified, hyaline epithelium composed of inflated, thin-walled, globose, pyriform or ellipsoid elements, 25-40 x 8-22µm.

Although described from Sri Lanka, this species is also known to occur in New Zealand, and was first reported from Victoria State by Cunningham (1944: 53). It is characterized by the calyptrate appearance of the spores resulting from the loose myxosporium becoming detached from the spore-base. The spore-form, together with the epithelial structure of the peridiopellis is very similar to the structure observed in the agaricoid genus Descolea and the gasteroid genus Setchelliogaster, and it may become necessary eventually to recognize at least two taxa within the present concept of Hymenogaster, namely those species allied to Thaxterogaster and those allied to Setchelliogaster

VICTORIA. Crown Land, junction Maintongoon and Bonnie roads, sub-hypogeal to hypogeal in dry eucalyptus forest, 18 Aug. 1982, K. & G. Beaton, Eraser Park-Bonnie Doon road, subhypogeal on steep, stoney hillside in dry eucalyptus forest, 19 Aug. 1982, G. Beauglehole, K. & G. Beaton 51.
NEW ZEALAND. On the ground, Beggren (holotype K).

Gasterocarp 1.5-2.5 cm diam., almost globose to depressed or turbinate, at times umbonate, basally depressed with or without an exposed gleba, and borne on a short, bulbous stipe. Peridium off-white to greyish white, drying pale greyish orange, smooth, glabrous, viscid to glutinous. Gleba adnexed to adnate to the columella, light brown when fresh, drying dark brown, consisting of small, angular, irregular chambers, up to 5 mm long, mostly radially arranged to appear almost lamellate. Tramal plates thin, about 150 µm wide, white, with a broad, hyaline hymenophoral trama and narrow subhymenial layers; clamp-connexions present on all hyphae. Columella percurrent, continuous with stipe, expanding towards upper peridium, sometimes with short lateral branches, white, translucent, up to 6 mm thick. Stipe 0.5-1 (-2.5) cm x 3-4 mm, cylindric with a marginate-turbinate base, solid; surface white, smooth and glabrous.
Spore deposit dark brown. Spores statismosporic, mostly heterotropic and asymmetric, 12.5-14.5 x 8-11(13.5 ± 0.5 x 9.5 ± 0.5) µm, Q = 1.42, ovoid to broadly ellipsoid, yellowish brown, coarsely verrucose, with verrucae often confluent to form short, irregular ridges, overlaid by a loose myxosporium. Basidia 40-65 x 8-10 µm, cylindrico-clavate, bearing four short, straight sterigmata. Hymenophoral trama regular, hyaline, of more or less parallel, inflated, very thin-walled hyphae, 2-25 µm diam. Subhymenial layer narrow, 10-15 µm, pseudoparenchymatous. Peridiopellis of variable, up to 300 µm thick, forming an ixocutis of loosely woven, repent, thin-walled, hyaline hyphae, 2-3.5 µm diam., embedded in a gelatinous matrix. (Figs 9 G-J, 17 E-J).

Although originally described from New Zealand, Cunningham (1944: 85) reported this species from the Australian states of South Australia and Victoria.

Gasterocarp globose, conical or cylindric, with a poorly to well developed stipe and a basally exposed gleba. Peridium pure white, pallid, yellowish brown, olivaceous, reddish brown, or with lilaceous to violaceous tints, dry or viscid, smooth or scabrous. Gleba ochraceous brown to ferruginous, sublamellate to loculate, with minute to large, elongate, empty chambers. Tramal plates white; clamp-connexions present or absent. Columella variable, more often percurrent, sometimes partially developed, branching or absent. Stifle elongate to almost obsolete, solid to fistulose, concolorous or not with the peridium, often with violaceous tints, dry to glutinous. Partial veil cortinoid, or rarely forming a membranous volva. Spore deposit ferruginous. Spores statismosporic, heterotropic or orthotropic, small to rather large, ellipsoid, amygdaliform to subfusoid, yellowish brown, subsmooth to verrucose, with or without a conspicuous hyaline myxosporium, lacking a germ-pore. Basidia clavate, typically tetrasporic, sometimes bisporic. Cystidia none. Hymenophoral trama regular, hyaline. Subhymenial layer poorly developed. Peridiopellis a repent epicutis of encrusted hyphae or gelatinized. Subhypogeal or epigeal.

N and S temperate zones, associated with Fagales, Myrtaceae and Coniferae.

Type species: T. magellanicus Singer.