FILICALES. Cyathea dealbata: Auckland, Kauaeranga Valley, Thames, 50 m, type collection, P.D.D. herbarium, No. 17427.

Hymenophore annual, membranous, adherent, effused forming linear areas 8-20 x 1-2 cm; hymenial surface pallid cream, even, not creviced; margin thinning out, arachnoid, white, adherent. Context white, 50-110 µ thick, basal layer narrow, of intertwined or parallel hyphae, intermediate layer of mainly erect hyphae cemented and embedding numerous gloeocystidia and masses of crystals; generative hyphae 3-3.5 µ diameter, walls 0.1 µ thick, naked, with clamp connections. Gloeocystidia arranged in several irregular rows in context and hymenium, elongate-oblong, oval, obovate, or clavate, not projecting, 12-20 x 7-9 µ. Hymenial layer a scanty palisade of basidia, paraphyses, and gloeocystidia. Basidia cylindrical or cucurbitiform, 12-20 x 5-6 µ, bearing 2-4 spores; sterigmata arcuate, slender, to 5 µ long. Paraphyses subclavate, 10-15 x 4-5 µ. Spores broadly fusiform with acuminate ends, sometimes slightly flattened on one side, apiculate, 7-9 x 4-4.5 µ, walls smooth, hyaline, 0.1 µ thick; often adhering in pairs or fours.

TYPE LOCALITY: Kauaeranga Valley, Auckland, New Zealand.
DISTRIBUTION: New Zealand.

HABITAT: Pendent dead stipes of tree ferns.

Hymenophorum membranaceum, adnatum, effusum; superficie pallide cremea, non rimosa. Hyphae generatoriae fibulatae, 3-3.5 µ diam. Gloeocystidia elongato-oblonga, ovalia, obovata vel clavata, 12-20 x 7-9 µ. Basidia cylindricalia vel cucurbitiformia, 12-20 x 5-6 µ, 2-4 sporis. Sporae late fusiformes, apicibus acuminatis, 7-9 x 4-4.5 µ, parietibus levibus, hyalinis. On dead pendent stipes of Cyathea dealbata, Kauaeranga Valley, Auckland, N.Z.

C. pteridophilum is one of three species growing upon dead pendent stipes of tree ferns. From the others, C. confusum and C. filicinum, it is separated by the gloeocystidia and broadly fusiform spores. In shape and arrangement of the small gloeocystidia the species resembles C. lianacolum, differing in the broadly fusiform spores and membranous hymenophore. It has similar gloeocystidia and habitat to `Gloeocystidium' cretatum Bourd. & Galz., from which it is separated by the much larger spores of different shape, and wider basidia. Crystals may be present in or absent from different parts of the same specimen; when present they are packed in an irregular zone in the intermediate layer.

The type material is in bad condition. No basidia or spores as described by Cunningham were found. Some collapsed amyloid warted basidiospores (about 4 µm long) were seen, but these are probably extraneous. Cunningham compared C. pteridophilum with Gloeocystidium cretatum Bourd. & Galz., which is the type species of Parvobasidium Jlich. It may well belong to this genus, but additional material should be studied before a transfer can be made. The species seems to cause a brown rot.