Hymenophore annual, loosely attached, readily lifting, arachnoid-mucedinoid, forming small, irregular areas to 4 cm. long; surface white, drying white, slightly tufted; margin thinning out, white, loosely attached, arachnoid. Context composed of a few repent hyphae to 7 µ diameter, wall 0.25 µ thick, branched, septate, with large clamp connections, fertile hyphae vertically arranged, sparsely branched, bearing branchlets in cymes upon ends of which are carried basidia and paraphyses. Basidia ventricose-eylindrical, 16-24 x 5-7 µ, bearing 4-6, sometimes 8 spores on sterigmata to 10 µ long. Spores pyriform or obovate, apiculate, 5-7 x 3.5-4.5 µ, smooth, hyaline.

DISTRIBUTION. New Zealand.

HABITAT. Effused on decorticated decaying wood.

Hymenophoruin arachnoideum-mucidum, aequum, effusum, superficie alba, leviter cristata. Hyphae nodulosae, ad 7 µ diam., pariete 0.25 µ crasso, levi. Basidia ventricosa cylindricalia, 16-24 x 5-7 µ, 4-6 sporas in sterigmatis ad 10 µ longis gerentia. Cystidia absentia. Sporae pyriformes, apiculatae, 5-7 x 3.5-4.5 µ, leves, hyalinae.

From others with clamp connections the species is separated readily by the large ventricose-cylindrical basidia and small pyriform spores. The hymenophore is delicate, snow white, loosely attached, and hyphae possess such delicate walls that they collapse readily. As they do not stain with aniline blue, their structure is difficult to interpret. Large and conspicuous clamp connections are present at all septa, and the repent hyphae branch at a wide angle.

Unknown host. Otago. Morrison's Creek, Dunedin, 500ft., June, 1952, G.T.S. Baylis, type collection, P.D.D. herbarium No. 11581.

Hymenophore annual, loosely attached, lifting, arachnoid-mucedinoid, forming linear areas to 24 x 3 cm.; surface cream, drying pallid ochre, even; margin thinning out, cream, arachnoid. Context composed of a few large repent hyphae to 16 µ diameter, wall 0.5-1 µ thick, delicately and finely verruculose-scabrid, sparsely branched, septate, without clamp connections, fertile hyphae vertical, bearing one to three whorls of branchlets carrying basidia and paraphyses. Basidia cylindrical or subclavate, 16-22 x 6-9 µ, bearing 4-6 spores on short sterigmata 3-4 µ long. Spores fusiform or navicular, ends usually bluntly acuminate, apiculate, 8-11 x 3.5-4.5 µ, smooth, hyaline.

DISTRIBUTION. New Zealand.

HABITAT. Effused on bark or decorticated decaying wood.

Hymenophorum mucidum, aequum, effusum, superficie cremea, siccitate pallide ochracea. Hyphae enodulosae, ad 16 µ diam.; pariete 0.5-1 µ crasso, exteriore scabro. Basidia cylindricalia vel subclavata, 16-22 x 6-9 µ, 4-6 sporas in sterigmatis 3-4 µ longis gerentia. Cystidia absentia. Sporae fusiformes vel naviculiformes, apiculatae, 8-11 x 3.5-4.5 µ, leves, hyalinae.

Of the species without clamp connections this may be identified readily by the large diameter repent hyphae, walls of which and of the fertile branches are covered with closely arranged verrucae, appearing scabrid. Basidia are carried on short branchlets arranged in whorls on main vertical branches. Basidia usually bear six spores, though a few carry four.

Edwardsia microphylla (Ait.) Salisb. Auckland. Henderson, March, 1952, S. Baker. Nothopanax arboreum (Forst. f.) Seem. Taranaki. Mt. Egmont, 4,500ft., February, 1952, G.H.C., type collection, P.D.D. herbarium, No. 11296.

Hymenophore annual or sometimes reviving a second season, somewhat separable when mature, mucedinoid-tomentose, often pilose, effused forming irregular areas to 7 cm. across; surface sulphur-yellow or pallid saffron, velutinate and tufted; margin thinning out, arachnoid, concolorous, loosely attached. Context composed of several repent hyphae to 8 µ diameter, wall 1 µ thick, branched at a wide angle, septate, with clamp connections, fertile hyphae vertically arranged, branched dichotomously, bearing basidia and paraphyses singly on terminal branchlets, collapsing. Basidia subclavate, seldom cylindrical, 8-13 x 4-12 µ, bearing 4 spores on sterigmata 2-4 µ long. Septocystidia arising from both repent hyphae and fertile hyphae, 180-470 µ long, 8-10 µ diameter, with clamp connections at septa; wall l µ thick, save near apex where 0.25 µ, apex bluntly rounded, upper part coated with irregular tinted mucilaginous warts. Spores broadly elliptical, occasionally apiculate, 5.5-7 x 4-4.5 µ, smooth, hyaline.

DISTRIBUTION. New Zealand.

HABITAT. Effused on bark of dead branches.

Hymenophorum mucidum, saepe pilosum, effusum, superficie sulphurea vel pallide crocea, cristata. Hyphae nodulosae, ad 8 µ diam., pariete l µ crasso, levi. Basidia subclavata, 8-13 x 4-12 µ, 4 spores in sterigmatis 2-4 µ longis gerentia. Cystidia septata, nodulosa, 180-470 x 8-10 µ, pariete 1 µ crasso, verrucis inaequalibus et mucosis. Sporae late ellipticae, raro apiculatae, 5.5-7 x 4-4.5 µ, leves, hyalinae.

Specific features are the saffron or sulphur colour of the hymenophore, long septate cystidia coated exteriorly with an irregular, broken, gelatinous tunic, basidia bearing 4 spores on short sterigmata and small broadly elliptical spores. In the specimens at hand part of the hymenophore had grown over a previous layer, so possibly the species is biennial. Fertile hyphae are large and soon collapse, so that it is difficult to ascertain, their arrangement. Branching is dichotomous, basidia being carried singly near ends of the branchlets.

Podocarpus spicatus R.Br. Auckland. Te Whaiti, 2,000ft., June, 1951, J.M. Dingley, type collection, P.D.D. herbarium No. 11449.