Distribution. Beech Forest, Dun Mt., Nelson, N.Z., 650 m. (J. C. Neill), 27/5/23. Type in herbarium of the writer, No. 1099).

Peridium pallidum, paler below, depressed-globose, base excavated, incurved, margin distinct from stipe, 7-12 mm. high, 18-22 mm. wide, densely and closely scabrid; drying dingy-brown. Stipe short, stout, up to 10 mm. long, 4 mm. thick, tan-coloured, hollow, scabrous, base slightly inflated. Gleba dark ferruginous, cellular, tough, compact, cells minute, 2-3 mm long, polygonal, dissepiments thin. Spores verruculose, ferruginous, ovate, rounded at one end, pointed at the other, 12-15 x 8-11 µ, epispore thin.

Habitat.-Solitary on the ground in beech forest.

Peridio pallido-brunneo, depresso-globoso, base excavato, 7-12 mm. alto, 18-22 mm. lato, scabrido. Stipite 10 mm. longo, 4 mm. crasso, brunneo, excavato. Gleba aurantio-brunnea, . cellulosa, lenta. Sporis verruculosis, flavo-branneis, ovatis, 12-15 x 8-11 µ.

The scabrid surface of the peridium would place this close to S. scabrosum, but the glebal characters are different from those given for the latter species. In appearance and to the touch the peridium exactly resembles chamois leather. The tough, almost cartilaginous nature of the gleba is also characteristic, and would serve to separate it from any other Australasian species.

Solitarii ad terram in silvis. Dun Mt., Nelson, N.Z., 650 m., J. C. Neill.

Distribution.-Tasmania; N.Z. (Herb. Nos. 120, 610, 938, 1097). Common throughout the lowland forests of New Zealand.

Peridium scarlet, globose, depressed-globose or ovate, apex obtuse or rounded, base excavated, truncate or decurrent, 2-4 cm. high, up to 6 cm. wide, smooth, frequently somewhat lobed, glabrous, shining, often slightly viscid; retaining its colour when dried. Stipe bright yellow, slender, up to 10 cm. long, 3-10 mm. thick, equal, smooth or fibrillose, often polished, hollow; columella slightly expanded at the apex. Gleba ferruginous, cellular, cells polygonal or slightly elongate, up to 3 mm. long, numerous, dissepiments thin. Spores smooth, pallid ferruginous, elliptical or elliptic-ovate, bluntly pointed at one or both ends, 12-25 x 7-11 µ, (Tulasne, 12 x 5 µ; Massee 10-11 x 5 µ; Lloyd, about 12 x 6 µ).

Habitat.-Gregarious or solitary on decaying wood on the forest floor.

I have collected this species at Auckland, Hamilton, Cambridge, Rotorua, Te Aroha (Auckland Province) ; Weraroa, Mt. Waiopehu, York Bay and Botanical Gardens (Wellington Province) ; and have received collections from Peel Forest (from Dr. H. H. Allan), and Governors Bay (from Mr. J. F. Tapley), Canterbury Province; and Dun Mt., Nelson Province (from Mr. J. C. Neill). It is not confined to the forest, for several collections have been obtained from flower gardens, especially where these have been at one,time in forest. It is commonly stated that this species grows on the ground; but although I have collected hundreds of these plants, I have always found them to be attached to decaying wood.
The scarlet colour of the peridium separates this from any other species, but in glebal and spore characters it is closely allied to S. virescens and S. superbum.
The spore measurements I have given are much greater than those given by other writers. But with certain large forms found here, spores of a length of 25 µ are not uncommon. I believe that it would be inadvisable to separate these forms, for they are identical in all other respects. Furthermore, intermediate stages, in which the spores vary in size between the large and small spore forms, are not uncommon.
This species was named by Tulasne from material collected at Akaroa, Banks Peninsula, Canterbury, by Raoul, now preserved in the museum herbarium at Paris.

Distribution.-Sulphur Springs, Rotorua, N.Z. (Gunn. Type in Herb. Kew), Hobart (L. Rodway, Jan. 1884. Specimens in Herb. Rodway).

Peridium pallid brown, depressed-globose, base deeply excavated, truncate, 1.5 cm. diam., smooth; drying dingy-brown, rugulose. Stipe short, 1-1.5 cm. long, 2-4 mm. thick, slender, equal, or slightly thickened downwards, solid, pallid-brown; columella expanded at the apex. Gleba ferruginous, cellular, cells minutely polygonal, 1 mm. long, dissepiments thin. Spores minutely verruculose, broadly elliptical, pallid ferruginous, one end bluntly rounded, the other apiculate, 6-8 x 4-5 µ (Massee, 7 x 4 µ), epispore thin. Habitat.-Solitary on the ground.

The smooth peridium, short, solid stipe and small, rough spores characterise this species. It is separated from the preceding principally on account of the short stipe and the small size of the spores.
In the original description the spores are stated to be smooth, but I find them to be minutely but distinctly verruculose. This character varies somewhat in individual plants, for, of the two plants in my possession, one exhibits more pronounced markings than does the other.
Lloyd (1905) states that he believes this to be a synonym of S. coaretatum; but examination will show that both in glebal and spore characters it is decidedly different.
I am indebted to Mr. Rodway for the donation of two specimens of this species, now in my herbarium, No. 1203. The question may be raised as to whether the material I have examined is that of S. Gunnii, but I am assured by Mr. Rodway that these specimens are from a collection determined by Massee himself.

Distribution.-Auckland, N.Z. (Berggren. Type, in Herb. Kew), Mt. Lofty, S. Aus. (J. B. Cleland, 4/8/22. Specimens in Herb. Cleland).

Peridium dingy-grey, depressed-globose, somewhat umbilicate, base truncate, excavated, 9-12 mm. high, 20-26 mm. wide, smooth, minutely longitudinally striate, glabrous, margin tardily separating from the stipe; drying pallid brown, surface becoming rugulose. Stipe whitish, slender, 12-25 mm. long, 3-4 mm: thick, attenuate downwards, solid, striate, smooth, polished; columella expanded at the apex. Gleba ferruginous, cellular, cells laterally compressed, up to 3 mm. long, dissepiments thin. Spores verruculose, pallid ferruginous, ovate or ovate-elliptical, commonly lachrymiform, rounded at one end, pointed at the other, 9-11 x 5-7 µ (Massee, 8 x 5 µ), epispore thin.

Habitat.-Solitary on sandy soil.

This species is characterised by the, small, smooth, depressed-globose peridium and long, slender, solid stipe. The lachrymiform spores are also characteristic. The Mt. Lofty collection is undoubtedly the same as the species described by Massee, as it agrees in all characters, save in the size of the spores. The difference in spore measurement is too slight to allow of the separation of these specimens. The solid stipe is a character present only in this and the following species. In shape the plant shows a general resemblance to S. erythrocephalum, but the pallid colour of the peridium, and the verruculose spores separate it.
I am indebted to Dr. Cleland for the loan of the material from which the above description has been drawn up.

Distribution.-Weraroa, Wellington, N.Z. (100 m., G.H.C. 1/8/19. Type), Weraroa (E. H. Atkinson, 20/8/19; J. C. Neill, G.H.C., 2/5/23), Forest, Botanical Gardens, Wellington (80 m., G.H.C., May, Aug., 1922). Specimens in the herbarium of the writer, Nos. 872, 874, 1098.

Peridium commonly french-grey, changing in old specimens to pallid-green, ovate or elliptic-oblong, apex bluntly acuminate or obtuse, base bluntly rounded, or decurrent, 3-5 cm. high, 1.5-3 cm. wide, at first finely fibrillose, fibrils longitudinally arranged, so that the surface appears striate, becoming smooth, glabrous, polished and slightly viscid, coriaceous; margin folded and frequently lacerate, drying dingy brown. Stipe pallid french-grey or tinted bluish-green, yellowish at the base, slender, up to 4 cm. long, and 6 mm. thick, equal, at first fibrillose, becoming glabrous and polished, save at the base,. hollow; columella thickened at the apex. Gleba chocolate- or sepia-brown, coarsely cellular, sometimes lamellar, cells elongated, up to 10 mm., sparse, laterally compressed, dissepiments thin. Spores smooth, sepia-coloured, elliptic-ovate or elliptical, rounded at one end, 11-15 x 5-8 µ, epispore thin.

Habitat.-Solitary or crowded on decaying wood buried in the substratum. In lowland rain forest.

Peridio pallido-griseo vel pallido-wide, ovato vel elliptieo-oblongo, apice acuto vel obtuso, 3-5 cm. alto, 1.5-3 cm. lato, primum fibrilloso demum leve, glabro. Stipite pallido-griseo vel pallido-viride, 4 cm. longo, 6 mm. crasso, glabro, excavato. Gleba brunneo-nigra, cellulose vel lamelliforma. Sporis brunneo-nigris, elliptico-ovatis, vel ellipticis, levibus, 11-15 x 5-8 µ.

The sepia colour of the gleba serves to separate this from any other species in this section. It is fairly abundant in the early winter and spring months in lowland mixed rain-forest near Wellington. It occurs only on decaying wood, principally on rotting branches of Melicytus ramiflorus Forst. I have recently obtained a very complete suite of developmental stages, from which the abbreviated account of its development has been drawn up. The plant is usually covered with dried leaves, and so difficult to find unless these be first removed. It is readily eaten by slugs, and it is in consequence often difficult to find mature specimens that have not been injured by these animals.
The shape of the peridium varies considerably in different specimens, for one may obtain ovate, elliptical or even depressed-globose plants. When the plant is ovate, the columella is usually considerably thickened at the apex. Another variable feature is the gleba, which may in certain specimens be cellular, whilst in others it may be lamellas, approaching in extreme cases the gleba of 3. agaricoides. As all intermediate stages may be collected it is impossible to segregate these forms, save at the extremes.

Solitary vel gregarii ad lignis in silvis. Weraroa, Wellington, N.Z. 100 m. G.H.C.

Distribution.-Beech Forest, York Bay, Wellington, N.Z. (E. H. Atkinson, 30 m., 5/10/10. Type, May, Aug., 1922; E. J. Butler, G.H.C., 29/7/23), Dun Mt., Nelson (J. C. Neill, 30/5/23). Collections in the herbarium of the writer. Nos. 873, 923, 1208.

Peridium violet, depressed-globose, base truncate, deeply excavated, up to 7 cm. high, and 7 cm. broad, smooth, glabrous, polished, viscid; drying pallid-brown, becoming rugulose. Stipe pallid-violet, tinted yellow at the base, stout, 3-9 cm. long, 10-20 mm. wide at the base, tapering to the apex, fibrillose, minutely striate, hollow; columella slightly expanded at the apex. Gleba pallid ferruginous, labyrinthiform or cellular, cells 1-2 mm. long, numerous, dissepiments thick. Spores coarsely verruculose, chestnut-brown, ovate, one end rounded, the other pointed, 12-17 x 8-11 µ, epispore thin.

Habitat. Solitary on the ground in beech forest. (Nothofagus sp.).

Peridio violaceo, depresso-globoso, 7 cm. alto, 7 cm. lato, leve, glabro. Stipite pallido-violaceo, 3-9 cm. longo, 10-20 mm. crasso, fibrilllloso, striato, excavato. Gleba pallido-brunnea, cellulosa vel labyrinthiforma. Sporis grosse verruculosis, castaneo-brunneis, ovatis, 12-17 x 8-11 µ.

This species is characterised by the large size and violet colour of the peridium. It is not uncommon in a certain beech forest near Wellington, appearing there during the winter months, usually after heavy rain. At first it is buried in the ground, often in clayey soil, but as it approaches maturity it appears on the surface. When submerged it is a pallid white, but as soon as it is exposed to the light it changes colour; that this change is effected by light is obvious when a specimen that has partially emerged is examined, for it is then seen that the portion above the ground is violet, but that the remainder is white. The peridium is deleidedly viscid when fresh.
In its younger stages the plant is readily confused with Gallacea scleroderma (Cke.) Lloyd, as in colour and hypogeal habit it resembles this species; but when the peridium is sectioned the plants may be readily separated.

Solitary ad terram in silvis. York Bay, Wellington, N.Z. 30 m., E. H. Atkinson.

Distribution.-Otaki Forks, Upper Otaki River, Wellington, N.Z. (300 m., J. G. Myers, E. H. Atkinson, 8/7/22. Type), Forest Reserve, Whakatikei, Paekakariki, Wellington, N.Z. (45 m., J. G. Myers, J. C. Neill, 16/6/23). Collections in the herbarium of the writer, Nos. 922, 1094.

Peridium azure, sage-green or sea-green, sometimes mottled with pallid spots, conical, apex sharply acuminate, base strongly excavated, truncate, or more frequently margin decurrent, up to 8 cm. high, and 4 cm. wide, at first pruinose, becoming glabrous, polished and slightly viscid; drying dull green or olivaceous. Stipe bright yellow, stout, up to 5 cm. long, and 12 nnm. wide, tapering from base to apex, smooth, shining, hollow; columella slightly thickened at the apex. Gleba ferruginous, cellular, cells 2-4 mm. long, laterally compressed, dissepiments thin. Spores smooth, pallid ferruginous, ovate or elliptical, one end rounded, the other pointed, frequently shortly pedicellate, 14-18 x 6-8 µ, epispore thin.

Habitat.-Solitary on the ground in grassy places in the forest.

Peridio caeruleo, griseo-viride vel viride, conico, spice acuto, ad 8 cm. alto, 4 cm. lato, primum pruinoso demum glabro, leve. Stipite aurantio, ad 5 cm. longo, 12 mm. crasso, leve, glabro, excavato. Gleba brunnea, celiulosa. Sporis levibus, pallido-brunneis, ovatis vel ellipticis, 14-18 x 6-8 µ.
Hab.. Solitarii ad terram in locis gramineis.

The large conical peridium, stout yellow stipe and large smooth spores characterise this species. It closely resembles the following species [Secotium columella], but is separated on account of the shape and large size of the peridium It is a magnificent species, the azure peridium and yellow stipe being very conspicuous. The base of the peridium does not as a rule separate from the stipe, but remains closely pressed to it. This is one of the largest species known, and should be readily determined on this account.

Otaki Forks, Upper Otaki River, Wellington, N.Z. 300 m. J. G. Myers, E. H. Atkinson.

Distribution.-Dannevirke, N.Z. (W. Colenso. Type, in Herb. Kew). Locality unknown (T. Kirk. Specimen in Herb. Kew), Bluff, Southland, N.Z. (J. B. Cleland, 10/6/22. Specimen in Herb. Cleland).

Peridium pallid sage-green, ovate or broadly conical, apex obtusely acuminate, base abruptly rounded, slightly or not excavated, 2-3 cm. high, 2-2.5 cm. broad, coriaceous, glabrous, shining, with occasional longitudinal furrows, margin lacerate, somewhat decurrent; drying dull green. Stipe greyish-white, short (almost obsolete in the specimen examined), about 5 mm. long, hollow, smooth, glabrous, tapering from base to apex; columella slightly expanded at the apex. Gleba ferruginous, cellular, cells regular, laterally compressed, 2-3 mm. long, dissepiments thin, enclosed within a dense purplish-brown layer within the wall of the peridium. Spores smooth, pallid ferruginous, elliptical, ends bluntly pointed, 15-18 -x 7-8 µ (Massee 18-20 x 7-8 µ; Cleland 14.5-16 x 8 µ), epispore thin.

Habitat.-Solitary on the ground in rain forest.

This species is characterised by the colour of the peridium and gleba, short, almost obsolete stipe and the large size of the spores. The plant somewhat resembles the preceding [Secotium superbum]
I am indebted to Dr. Cleland for the loan of the specimen from which the above description has been drawn up. In a note accompanying the specimen he fias given details as to the colour, shape and size of the peridium when collected, and these have been incorporated in the above description.
This species was originally described from material forwarded to Kew by Colenso. It is apparently rare, for, with the exception of one collection made by the late Mr. T. Kirk, Dr. Cleland's plant is the only collection made since the species was described.