Leptospermum ericoides A. Rich. Auckland: Hunua Falls, October, 1946, G.H.C., type collection, P.D.D. herbarium, No. 4702. Nothofagus fusca (Hook. f.) Oerst. Auckland: Turangi, Lake Taupo, October, 1949, J.M. Dingley. Weinmannia racemosa L.f. Auckland: Kauaeranga, Thames, October, 1950, J.M. Dingley. Taranaki : Mt. Egmont, 3,000ft., March, 1951, J.M. Dingley.

Hymenophore annual, closely adnate, chalky, effused, forming linear areas to 15 x 2 cm.; surface cream, then alutaceous, sometimes tinted pallid heliotrope, finely colliculose, not creviced; margin thinning out, concolorous, byssoid, adnate. Context white, 25-100 µ thick, composed of a delicate basal layer of a few repent hyphae, and an intermediate layer of mainly vertical hyphae embedded in masses of crystals; generative hyphae 3-4 µ diameter, wall 0.2 µ thick, crystal coated, hyaline, branched, septate, with clamp connections. Hymenial layer to 20 µ deep, of basidia, paraphyses and paraphysate hyphae. Basidia subclavate, 8-12 x 3-5 µ, 4-spored; sterigmata slender, to 5 µ long. Paraphyses subclavate, smaller than the basidia. Paraphysate hyphae cylindrical with rounded apices, or acuminate, projecting. Spores elliptical, 3-4.5 x 2-2.5 µ, wall smooth, hyaline, 0.2 µ thick.

DISTRIBUTION. New Zealand.

HABITAT. Effused on bark or decorticated decaying wood.

Hymenophorum cretaceum, adnatum, effusum; superficie cremea deinde alutacea, subtiliter colliculosa, non rimosa. Hyphae contextus in conglomeratis crystallis sitae, fibulatae, 3-4 µ diam., crystallis tectis. Basidia 8-12 x 3-5 µ, 4 sporis. Hyphae paraphysatae copiose adsunt. Sporae ellipticae, 3-4.5 x 2-2.5 µ, laeves, hyalinae.

Crystals are produced in such masses as to obscure tissues completely. They are packed between hyphae, coat them, alid extend to the hymenium masking basidia and paraphyses. The context develops first as a tenuous layer of densely compacted hyphae. Among these crystals appear, and about the time basidia are formed develop as lenses among the hyphae, compressing them. Lenses gradually increase in size until blisters are formed which force the hymenial layer upwards above the surface level. Finally this ruptures and the crystal masses become exposed, giving plants a blistered, chalky appearance. In the collection from Nothofagus fusca, spores are appreciably larger, some being 7 x 3 µ; but as it agrees with the type in other features, it has been included herein.

Auckland: Hunua Falls, October, 1946, G.H.C., type collection, P.D.D. herbarium, No. 4702.