On dead Nothofagus menziesii, Hawke's Bay, Upper Mohaka River, 31.V.1953, J. M. Dingley, (HOLOTYPE, PDD12567); Southland, Tuatapere, Alton Stream, 17.IV.l957, S. D. and P. J. Brook, 25607.

Fructifications firm-fleshy, resupinate, thin, effused, indeterminate, originating as discrete circular or orbicular patches, coalescing to form irregular, linear areas to 8 cm long, pruinose, ochraceous brown to pallid brown when fresh, drying to a pallid tan crust, occasionally with faint plum tints in older portions; margins concolorous or paler, arachnoid, adnate. In section 150-300 µm thick, consisting of basal layer, intermediate layer and hymenium. Basal layer well defined, composed of distinct, interwoven, tinted, thick-walled hyphae 2.5-4.5 µm diam. with walls to l.5 µm thick, lying parallel with substratum, clamp connections present. Intermediate layer composed of thick-walled hyphae arranged parallel with substratum or obliquely ascending from basal layer, clamp connections present. Hymenium composed of dikaryophyses and basidia; dikaryophyses abundant, thick-walled basally, nodulose or finely and irregularly branched apically, arising from thick-walled fertile hyphae; probasidia crowded, narrowly obovate to clavate, proliferating through or near basal clamp connections, 18.2-26 x 7.2-9.8 µm becoming longitudinally cruciate-septate; sterigmata stout, cylindrical, to 28 x 3.5 µm. Basidiospores curved-cylindrical to allantoid, hyaline, aguttulate, apiculate, 12.4-15.6-(16.9) x 3.9-4.9 µm. Germination by repetition or by stout germ tubes.

Dead angiosperm wood.

Fructificationes firmiter carnatae, resupinatae, tenues, ochraceo-brunneae ad pallide brunneas; margines arachnoides, adnatae; ordo basalis factus ex hyphis distinctis, crassi parietibus, nodosis; ordo medius factus ex hyphis crassi parietibus. Dikaryophyses basaliter crassiparietes, subtiliter et irregulariter ramosae ad apicem; probasidia angusto obovata ad clavata, 18.2-26 x 7.2-9.8 µm, per longitudinem cruciata-septata; sterigmata cylindrica, ad 28 x 3.5µm. Basidiosporae curvo-cylindricae ad allantoides, 12.4-15.6-(16.9) x 3.9-4.9 µm. Germinantes per repetitionem, vel per tubulos. Habitat in mortua Nothofago menziesii.

In microscopical characters, Eichleriella subleucophaea closely resembles E. leucophaea Bres. but may be distinguished by the firm-fleshy rather than coriaceous texture and adnate margins which do not become reflexed on drying.
As currently accepted, the genus Eichleriella is differentiated from Sebacina (sensu lato) by the tough coriaceous texture, presence of a well developed basal layer composed of thick-walled hyphae, and reflexed margins of dried fructifications. Many of the species included in the genus appear to be quite unrelated. Wells (1961) regarded Eichleriella incarnata Bres., the type species of the genus, as a synonym of E. alliciens (Berk. & Cooke) Burt and transferred the latter to Exidiopsis. Eichleriella was thus reduced to synonymy. The group of species related to E. alliciens, including E. macrospora (Ell. & Everh.) Martin, E. leucophaea and E. subleucophaea, form an essentially natural unit deserving generic status, and the genus Eichleriella is accordingly retained.

Typus Hawke's Bay Province, Upper Mohaka River, 31.V.1953, J. M. Dingley, PDD12567.