on rotting leaves, stems, and bark (Dicksonia, Senecio benettii Simpson et Thompson, Nothofagusfusca (Hook.f.) Oerst. New Zealand. Argentina: Tierra del Fuego, Ushuaia, Valle Glacier Martial. 24.111.1975, leg. Horak (LPS 37862. holotype). New Zealand: South Island: Canterbury, Mt Grey, Kowai Bush, 20.1X. 1967, leg. Horak (ZT 67/114). Nelson, Shenandoah Saddle, 10.11.1969, leg. Horak (ZT 69/50). Stewart Island, between Christmas Village and Mt Anglem. 15. III. 1969, leg. Horak (ZT 69/136).

Pileus -10 mm, hemispheric to convex becoming plane; cinnamon to pale argillaceous or pale brown; minutely velutinous or velvety; dry, membranaceous, margin distinctly striate when moist, veil remnants absent. Lamellae (L 2-8, -3), distant to moderately crowded; adnexed to adnate, sometimes subdecurrent, ventricose in mature specimens; argillaceous with rust-brown tinge, edge albofimbriate. Stipe -8 x -0.5 mm, cylindric, often eccentric, curved, equal; whitish or concolorous with pileus; pruinose at apex, glabrous towards base, dry, fragile, solid, single in groups, veil remnants absent. Context membranaceous, tough. Odour and taste not distinctive. Spores 5-8 x 4-5 µm, distinctly limoniform, yellow-brown, membrane thin-walled, smooth, germ pore absent. Basidia 20-28 x 5-8 µm, 4-spored. Cheilocystidia 35-80 x 4-8 µm, subfusoid with subcapitate to capitate apex, membrane thin-walled, hyaline, clamp connection at basal septum. Pleurocystidia absent. Caulocystidia like cheilocystidia. Cuticle an irregular cutis, terminal cells cystidioid, dermatocystidia in shape and size like cheilocystidia, membranes of hyphae not gelatinised, encrusted with brownish pigment. Clamp connections present.

Horak (1980: loc.cit.).

Flammulaster disseminatus Horak (1980), originally described from Tierra del Fuego (Argentina), is recognised best by the very small carpophores which are found growing in dense groups on decaying bark of trees or on rotten leaves of ferns or herbaceous plants

New Zealand: North Island: Taranaki, Mt Egmont National Park, Stratford Mt Lodge, 12.VI. 1968, Horak (PDD 27159, holotype; ZT 68/539, isotype).

Pileus -12 mm, hemispheric when young later becoming convex to plane; brown to dark soot-brown, fuliginous, aged specimens becoming grey-argillaceous; granular to minutely squamulose at disc, smooth towards striate margin; dry, hygrophanous, membranous, veil remnants absent. Lamellae (L 8-12, -3) moderately crowded, adnate to adnexed, ventricose; pale grey-brown at first, turning pale fuliginous with age, edge albofimbriate. Stipe -15 x -1 mm, cylindric, equal, central; concolorous with pileus, whitish-pruinose at apex; dry, hollow, single in groups, basal tomentum absent, veil remnants none. Context brown. Odour not distinctive. Spores 6.5-8 x 4-5 µm, distinctly limoniform, pale brown, membrane thin-walled, smooth, germ pore absent. Basidia 20-26 x 5-6 µm, 4-spored. Cheilocystidia 40-55 x 5-8 µm, fusoid, neck elongated, apically rounded, membrane thin walled, hyaline or pale brown, clamped at basal septum. Pleurocystidia absent. Caulocystidia like cheilocystidia. Cuticle composed of irregularly arranged chains of ovoid to subglobose hyphae (5-13 µm diam.), terminal cells clavate or broadly fusoid, membrane not gelatinised, encrusted with brownish pigment. Clamp connections present.

On rotting leaves of Cordyline indivisa Sieud.(Agavaceae). New Zealand.

Pileus -12 mm, convexo-planus. fuliginosus, granulatus. Lamellae adnato-adnexae, pallide argillaceo-fuligineae. Stipes -15 x -1 mm, cylindricus, pileo concolor, apicaliter pruinosus. Sporae 6.5-8 x 4-5 µm, limoniformes. Cheilocystidia elongato-fusoidea. Ad folia vetusta Cordylinidis indivisae. Novazelandia.

Microscopically this species can be mistaken for F. pulveraceus Horak, a common species of Flammulaster in New Zealand. However, the two related agarics are distinguished by the fuliginous colour of the carpophores and the smaller spores in F. foliicola, recorded once on rotting leaves of cordyline indivisia (cabbage-tree).

Typus PDD 27159.

New Zealand: North Island: Taranaki, Mt Egmont National Park, Dawson Falls, 19.VI. 1968, leg. Horak (PDD 27158, holotype: ZT 68/573, isotype). Coromandel Peninsula. Kauaeranga Valley, 9.VII. 1968. leg. Horak (ZT 68/654). South Island: Westland, Ahaura. Kopara, 8.XII. 1967, leg. Horak (ZT 67/220). Nelson. Lake Rotoiti, Tophouse Saddle, 30.1V. 1968. leg. Horak (ZT 68/339), Nelson, Lake Rotoiti, Tophouse Saddle, 1.V.1968, leg. Horak (ZT 68/340).

Pileus -12 mm, hemispheric to convex, expanded with age; argillaceous to pale brown with distinct ochraceous, copper-red or rust-brown tinge over disc; distinctly granular to subsquamulose when young (squamules appear conic to wart-like under the hand-lens), becoming farinaceous or micaceous with age; dry, not hygrophanous, margin substriate, conspicuous veil remnants absent. Lamellae (L 6-8,-3) moderately crowded to subdistant, adnate to adnexed, ventricose; concolorous with pileus or paler, often with ochraceous tinge, becoming pale fuscous with age, edge albofimbriate. Stipe -25 x -1.5 mm, cylindric, equal, central; upper half concolorous with pileus, lower half becoming dark brown with age; pruinose near apex, fibrillose or waned towards base; dry, hollow, single in groups, cortina absent. Context pale brown. Odour none or acidic. Spores 7-9 x 4.5-5.5 µm, distinctly limoniform, pale yellow-brown, membrane thin-walled germ pore absent, smooth. Basidia 20-30 x 6-8 µm, 4-spored, rarely 2-spored. Cheilocystidia 30-55 X, 6-8 µm, fusoid, slender, membrane hyaline or pale-yellow-brown, forming dense seam on edge, clamp connection on basal septum. Pleurocystidia none. Caulocystidia like cheilocystidia but larger. Cuticle composed of irregularly arranged chains of globose. to ovoid cells, with brown (KOH) membranous and encrusting pigment, membrane not gelatinised. Clamp connections numerous.

on rotting leaves, stems, and wood of dicotyledonous plants and mosses (Nothofagus spp., Weinmannia racemosa Linn.f., Brachyglottis repanda J. R. et G. Forst., Sphagnum). New Zealand

Pileus -12 mm. convexo-planus, argillaceo-roseus vel argillaceo-ochraceus, minute squamulosus vel micaceo-pulveraceus. Lamellae adnato-adnexae, pileo concolores, albofimbriatae. Stipes -25 x 1.5mm, cylindricus. pileo concolor, basim versus fuscus, minute floccoso-pruinosus. Sporae 7-9 x 4.5-5.5 µm, limoniformes. Cheilocystidia elongato-fusoidea. Ad lignum putridum vel folia deiecta. Novazelandia.

All morphologic aspects of F. pulveraceus are typical for the genus Flammulaster. Taxonomically this species has several close relatives not only in New Zealand (F. foliicola) but also in other regions both in the Southern and Northern Hemispheres, i.e., F. mucronosporus (Singer 1953) in Argentina and Chile, F. gregarius (Singer 1956) in the USA, and F. curpophilus (Fries) Singer in Europe (compare also Moser 1978:301).

Typus PDD27158

New Zealand: South Island: Nelson, Lake Rotoiti, Big Bush. 25.11.1969, leg. Horak (PDD 27155, holotype: ZT 69/113, isotype).

Pileus -25 mm, hemispheric when young, becoming convex to plane with depressed centre, margin incurved also in aged specimens; yellow-brown, velutinous to felly; dry, hygrophanous; margin not striate, with distinct yellow fibrils from the veil (at least in young carpophores). Lamellae (L 12-18,7-) 15), crowded; broadly adnate to emarginate; golden-yellow when young becoming yellow-brown with age, edge albofimbriate. Stipe -25 x -2.5 mm, cylindric, equal, often curved, central; concolorous with pileus, base brown; densely covered with appressed longitudinal fibrils, with distinct but evanescent yellow cortina; dry, hollow, single in groups, with yellow-brown basal tomentum. Context yellow-brown. Odour not distinctive. Taster mild. Chemical reactions on pileus: KOH, NH? - brown; H2S04, HCI - negative. Spores 7-8 x 4-5 µm, phaseoliform, brown, membrane thin-walled, smooth, germ pore absent. Cheilocystidia 30-50 x 15-20 µm, clavate to vesiculose, membrane hyaline to yellow-brown, occasionally encrusted with yellow-brown pigment, clamp connection at basal septum. Pleurocystidia absent. Caulocystidia cylindric, not differentiated. Cuticle a trichoderm of suberect to erect cylindric hyphae, terminal cells cystidioid (conic to fusoid), membranes not gelatinised, encrusted with brown (KOH) pigment. Clamp connections numerous at septa.

on rotten log of Nothofagus solandri (Hook.f.) Oerst. var. cliffortioides (Hook.f.) Poole. New Zealand.

Pileus -25 mm, convexus dein plano-depressus, aureobrunneus, innate tomentosus. Lamellae adnato-emarginatae, aureae dein luteo-brunneae, albofimbriatae. Stipes -25 x 2.5mm, cylindricus, pileo concolor, cortina fibrillosa lutea subpersistenter instructus, fibrillosus. Sporae 7-8 x 4-5 µm, phaseoliformes, brunneae. Cheilocystidia clavato-vesiculosa. Ad lignum putridum Nothofagi. Novazelandia.

Typus PDD 27155

New Zealand: South Island: Canterbury, Mt Grey, Kowai Bush, 25.1X.1967, leg. Horak (ZT 67/135). Westland, Ahaura, Kopara, II.XII.1967, leg. Horak (ZT 67/237).

Pileus -15 mm, hemispheric when young becoming conico-convex to campanulate; pale yellow to ochre-yellow; entirely covered with coarse, granular or squamulose, yellow to yellow-brown warts or spiny scales, especially at disc; dry, not hygrophanous, margin not striate. Lamellae (L 6-12, -3) moderately crowded, adnate to adnexed, ventricose; pale yellow becoming argillaceous-yellow or pale yellow-brown; edge albofimbriate to minutely serrate. Stipe -35 x 1.5 mm, cylindric, central, equal; concolorous with pileus or darker; pruinose at extreme apex, otherwise densely covered with granular to spiny warts (like surface of pileus); dry, hollow, single in groups, persistent veil remnants absent. Context yellowish, brown in base of stipe. Odour and taste not distinctive. Chemical reactions on pileus: KOH - reddish brown, HCI - negative. Spore print brown. Spores 7-8.5 x 4-5 µm, phaseoliform to subelliptic, brown, membrane sometimes thickened (-0.5 µm), smooth, germ pore, distinct. Basidia 18-25 x 5 µm, 4-spored. Cheilocystidia 30-70 x 4-7 µm, fusoid, slender, membrane thin-walled, hyaline, clamp connection on basal septum. Pleurocystidia absent. Caulocystidia like cheilocystidia. Cuticle composed of globose to ovoid cells connected to long chains, membrane hyaline to pale brown, not gelatinised, encrusted with brown (KOH) pigment. Clamp connections numerous.

on rotten wood (Nothofagus solandri (Hook.f.) Oerst. var. cliffortioides (Hook.f.) Poole and broad-leaved trees in coastal forests). New Zealand. (Argentina, Chile).

Phaeomarasmius ciliatus Sing. is one of the most striking species of Phaeomarasmius. In well developed and undamaged specimens the yellow pileus and stipe are densely covered with concolorous or brown spines and warts and therefore they closely resemble a species of Cystoderma. The type material of P. ciliatus was collected on rotten wood of Nothofagus pumilio (Poep. et Endl.) Krasser in Tierra del Fuego (Argentina) and it appears that this fungus is a typical representative in the subantarctic temperate Nothofagus associations both in New Zealand and South America (Horak 1980).

-8 mm, convexus, subferrugineus, squamulis concoloribus recurvatis dense obtectus. Lamellae adnatae, subcarneae dein ferrugineae. Stipes -10 x -I mm. cylindricus, pileo concolor, cortina subperonata instructus. Spores 5-6 x 4.5-5.5 µm, subovatae, brunneae. Cheilocystidia subfusoideo-capitata. Ad frustula plantarum. Novazelandia.

New Zealand: Stewart Island, Golden Bay, 12.111.1969, leg. Horak(PDD 27154, holotype: ZT 69/124, isotype).

Pileus -8 mm, hemispheric to convex, plane in over mature specimens; yellow-brown to brown with distinct rust-brown tinge; densely covered with appressed to spiny fibrillose minute squamules or scales, felty to velutinous towards margin; dry, not hygrophanous, margin not striate, veil remnants absent. Lamellae (L 8-10, -3) moderately crowded, subventricose; adnexed to adnate; pale reddish brown, becoming cinnamon-brown to rust-brown, edge albofimbriate. Stipe -10 x -I mm, cylindric, equal, central; concolorous with pileus; covered with hairy to lanose longitudinal fibrils, cortina forming distinct fibrillose girdle when young, evanescent with age; dry, hollow, single in groups. Context pale brown. Odour and taste not distinctive. Spores 5-6 x 4.5-5.5 µm, ovoid to subglobose, brown, smooth, membrane thin-walled, germ pore absent. Basidia 20-30 x 6-7 µm, 4-spored. Cheilocystidia 30-60 x 3-7 µm, cylindric or subfusoid with distinct capitate apex, sublecythiform, membrane thin-walled, hyaline, clamped at basal septum. Pleurocystidia and caulocystidia absent. Cuticle a trichoderm of cylindric hyphae, terminal cells not cystidioid, membrane not gelatinised, heavily encrusted with brown (KOH) pigment. Clamp connections numerous.

on rotting leaves and stems of Olearia and Senecio (Compositae). New Zealand,

This species grows on well rotten debris of tree-daisies (Olearia) and groundsels (Senecio) in damp habitats. It is distinguished from all other New Zealand representatives of Phaeomarasmius by the following characters: small size of the carpophores, subglobose to ovoid spores, and slender subcapitate cheilocystidia. Compare also P. lanatulus Horak.

Typus PDD 27154.

Pileus -10mm diam., hemispheric when young, becoming convex and finally plane to expanded; whitish to pale brown, densely covered with conspicuous, woolly or felty brown to black-brown fibrils and squamules (especially at disc); dry, veil remnants on non-striate margin absent. Lamellae (L 8-12, -3) moderately crowded, broadly adnate to emarginate; whitish at first, turning cinnamon-; brown or pale argillaceous, edge albofimbriate. Stipe -15 x-1 mm, cylindric, central, equal; concolorous with pileus, covered with brown woolly fibrils, apex pruinose; dry, hollow, single in groups, distinct veil remnants lacking. Context pale brown. Odour none. Spores 8-10 x 4-5 µm, amygdaliform to sublimoniform, mucro distinct, brown, smooth, thin-walled, germ pore absent. Basidia 20-30 x 5-6µm, 4-spored. Cheilocystidia 35-50 x 8-13 µm, up to; 11 µm at apex, fusoid with distinct capitate neck, membrane thin-walled, occasionally with brown plasmatic pigment, clamp connection at basalt septum, crowded on lamellar edge. Pleurocystidia absent. Cuticle a trichoderm of bundled cylindric hyphae (3-7 µm diam.), terminal cells not differentiated, membranes thin-walled, not gelatinised encrusted with brown (KOH) pigment. Clamp connections numerous.

on rotten wood and bark of Nothofagus fusca (Hook.f.) Oerst. New Zealand.

Pileus -10 mm, convexo-planus, pallide cinnamomeus, fibrillis umbrinis minutis obtectus. Lamellae adnatae vel subdecurrentes, argillaceae. Stipes -15 x -1 mm, cylindricus, pileo concolor, fibrillis lanatis brunneis instructus. Sporae 8-10 x 4-5µm, amygdaliformes, brunneae. Cheilocystidia conspicue fusoideo-capitata. Ad lignum putridum Nothofagi fuscae. Novazelandia.

This delicate agaric is common on well rotten logs and stumps of Nothofagus fusca (red beech) Macroscopically P. lanatulus resembles most P. hispidulus Horak from New Zealand and P. nanus (Horak 1979) from Papua New Guinea. However, these two morphologically similar taxa are well separated by the size and shape of the spores.

Typus PDD 27157

New Zealand: North Island: Coromandel Peninsula, Kirikiri Valley, 10.VII. 1968, leg. Horak (PDD 27156, holotype; ZT 68/658, isotype). South Island: Westland, Hari Hari, 13.11.1969, leg. Horak (ZT 69/69).

Pileus-12 mm, hemispheric or convex when young, soon becoming expanded with distinctly depressed centre; pale argillaceous near substriate margin, pale brown at disc; velutinous to minutely fibrillose or floccose at centre, smooth towards margin; dry, vaguely hygrophanous, veil remnants none. Lamellae (L 6-14, -3) crowded, broadly adnate (in young specimens) to subdecurrent-arcuate (in aged specimens); pale argillaceous with distinct rust-brown tinge, edge albofimbriate. Stipe-35 x -1 mm, cylindric, equal, stiff but elastic, slender; concolorous with pileus, brown at base; entirely covered with coarse floccose to wart-like squamules; dry, hollow, single in groups, cortina remnants none. Context pale brown. Odour not distinctive. Spores 6-8 x 3.5-4.5 µm, ovoid to subamygdaliform, mucro often indistinct, pale brown, membrane thin-walled, smooth, germ pore absent. Basidia 20-30 x 5-6 µm, 4-spored. Cheilocystidia 30-65 x 7-10 µm, fusoid to subclavate, hyaline, membrane thin-walled, sometimes forked at apex. Pleurocystidia absent. Caulocystidia like cheilocystidia, membrane often thick-walled, encrusted with brown pigment. Cuticle a trichoderm of cylindric to ovoid hyphae, terminal cells not or little differentiated (cystidioid), membrane not gelatinised, encrusted with brown (KOH) pigment. Clamp connections present on septa.

on rotting organic debris (Blechnum, Dicksonia, Neopanax arboreum (Murr.) Allan. New Zealand. (Papua New Guinea).

Pileus -12 mm, convexus dein subdepresso-planus, argillaceus, minute floccoso-fibrillosus. Lamellae adnato-subdecurrentes, argillaceae vel subferrugineae. Stipes-35 x -1 mm, cylindricus, teres, pileo concolor, basim versus fuscus, dense squamuloso-verrucosus. Sporae 6-8 x 3.5-4.5 µm, ovoideae vel subamygdaliformes. Cheilocystidia clavata vel lageniformes. Ad frustula vetusta. Novazelandia.

Typus PDD 27156