The above description is adapted from that of Stevenson with the addition of certain microscopical characters. The type specimen, which was jointly examined with Dr E. Horak, is in fragmentary condition, but the extremely long basidia and lack of organisation of the hymenophoral trama indicate that this species belongs in the Cantharellaceae rather than Hygrophoraceae.

Cantharellus elsae can be accommodated in subgenus Cantharellus sect. Cantharellus as defined by Corner (1966) although the absence of clamp connections is not typical of this section.

The above description differs from Stevenson's in that spores are inamyloid, and basidia are longer, broader, and (4)-6-sterigmate. There is considerable variation in spore shape in the collections examined, but as this character could not be correlated with other morphological or anatomical characters, it appears to be of little taxonomic significance. The absence of organisation in the hymenophoral trama, and the long, flexuous basidia, indicate that this species belongs in the Cantharellaceae. The specific name cannot be transferred to Cantharellus as the epithet is preoccupied by C. variabilis Quel. 1882 (fide Corner, 1966). Similarly, the practice of naming the species after the author cannot be followed because of the existence of C. stevensonii Berk. & Br. 1875.

Cantharellus wellingtonensis is relatively common in native scrub and forest, often forming patches several square feet in extent. The species readily fits within subgenus Cantharellus sect. Cantharellus as defined by Corner (1966).

Maas Geesteranus (1964) considered Hydnum crocidens inseparable from the H. repandum complex, but because of its extreme variability in habit, was unable to decide on its status within that complex. On the basis of the specimens examined, I am reluctant to reduce the species to synonymy under H. repandum. Although it is an extremely variable species as found in New Zealand, three well defined forms worthy of variental rank can be distinguished. In microscopical characters, the above description of the type variety agrees closely with that of Maas Geesteranus (1964), except that in mature frutifications, spores are primarily subglobose to globose and are only occasionally broadly elliptical. Maas Geesteranus considered that globose spores were immature even though they were in the majority. However, in ephemeral characters such as colour of pileus and spines, and texture of pileus surface, the present description differs from those of both Cunningham (1958) and Maas Geesteranus.

Hydnum crocidens var. crocidens may be distinguished by the pallid, predominantly centrally stipitate fructifications, and the non-decurrent spines. It favours habitats where Leptospermum is present.

This brightly coloured Gasteromycete could easily be mistaken for a Russula. A spore print could not be obtained despite repeated attempts, and this character together with the wrinkled, lamellae-like glebal plates, indicates that it belongs in the astrogastraceous series of the Secotiaceae rather than the Russulaceae. Phylogenetically, Macowanites occupies an interesting position, linking the Gasteromycetes with the Agaricales, Both Macowanites and Russula possess amyloid spore ornamentation and sphaerocysts. The single fundamental character separating the two is the presence of active spore discharge in Russula. The evolutionary line leading from the astrogastraceous series of the Secotiaceae to the Russulaceae is well documented (Singer and Smith, 1960), and Smith (1963) has placed these fungi together in a single order, the Russulales.

Macowanites possesses an interesting geographical distribution. With the exception of the type species M. agaricinus (Kalchbr.) Kalchbr., which was collected, in South Africa, all remaining species are of North Temperate distribution, with the majority occurring in north-western states of the U.S.A. Of the species of Macowanites keyed out by Smith (1963), M. carmineus appears to be most closely allied to M. pseudo-emeticus A. H. Smith, but differs in the chalk-white glebal plates, longer and narrower spores with more prominent ornamentation, and longer pleurocystidia.

Spores olive brown in print, melleous, elliptic-subfusiform, apiculate, suprahilar depression or applanation present, 9-13 x 3.8-4.5 µm, smooth. Hymenium composed of basidia and cystidia; basidia hyaline, clavate, 33-45 x 8-10 µm, 4-spored: cystidia scattered, hyaline, thin-walled, ventricose-rostrate, 50-75 x 9.5-16.5 µm, projecting to 30 µm beyond basidia. Hymenophoral trama bilateral, of the Phylloporus subtype, hyphae of lateral stratum only slightly divergent; clamp connections absent. Context of pileus pallid yellow, unchanging. Taste mild. Chemical characters: KOH on pileus- darkening with reddish brown tints; on context-salmon pink: NH₄OH on pileus darkening with red, flush; on context-n.r.

Singer (1962) recognised four species of Phylloporus, of which only P. rhodoxanthus (Schw.) Bres. was considered completely known. The remainder were known from dried specimens only. Phylloporus rhodoxanthus was regarded by Singer (1945) as a more or less cosmopolitan species composed of four subspecies. The combination of the unchanging context, slow bluing of damaged lamellae, and the absence of a bright blue colour reaction with ammonia distinguish P. novae-zelandiae from all subspecies of P. rhodoxanthus. A positive colour reaction with ammonia was considered of generic significance by Singer (1945) but on the present information, it appears to be restricted to P. rhodoxanthus. Despite the fact that Phylloporus is a lamellate genus, the limits between the Boletaceae and strictly lamellate families of Agaricales are clearly defined since the blue discolouration of the damaged hymenophore or context does not occur in closely related families such as the Paxillaceae.

No species have previously been described from New Zealand although both Heim (1950) and Horak (1970) reported that Phylloporus was represented in the fungal flora of the country. An Australian species P. hyperion (Cooke & Mass.) Singer, was recorded from New Zealand by Massee (1898) but Singer (1955) showed that the collection on which this record was based was a species of Gymnopilus (Cortinariaceae).

The above description differs in many ephemeral characters from that of Cunningham (1958), and there seems little doubt that the type description was compiled from overmature, dried material as suggested by Maas Geesteranus (1964). The pileus and stipe of dried fructifications of 24599 are dull olive green while the spines have changed little in colour. In collection F485, which was slightly overmature when collected, blackening of the pileus and stipe is more advanced and the dull green colour is not so apparent. When mounted in 5% KOH solution, the context of the pileus and trama of the spines both stain bluish green. Microscopical examination shows that the large, dark coloured granules embedded among the hyphae have partially dissolved, releasing a bluish green pigment.

Maas Geesteranus (1964) emphasised that a redescription of this species from fresh material was required in order to distinguish it from an American species Sarcodon atroviridis (Morg.) Banker. The two species are closely related but S. carbonarius differs from Coker and Beer's (1951) description of S. atroviridis in the larger spores and magenta tints of the stipe and exposed context.

The genus Sarcodon P. Karst. was not recognised by Cunningham (1958) although the invalidly published Sarcodon Quel. was considered a synonym of "Hydnum L ex S.F. Gray". It is now almost universally accepted that Sarcodon is typified by Hydnum imbricatum, a species with brown tuberculate spores, and Hydnum L ex Fr. by //. Repandum, a species with hyaline, smooth spores (Donk, 1956). The acceptance of these species as the types necessitates alterations to the genera recognised by Cunningham. The genus Hydnum as interpreted by Cunningham becomes equivalent to Sarcodon and Dentinum a synonym of Hydnum L ex Fr.