OTHER COLLECTIONS EXAMINED: NEW ZEALAND: AUCKLAND: Waitakere Ranges, Huia, J.M. Dingley, Jul 1948 (PDD 6768, OSC); Waitakere Ranges, Oratia, J.M. Dingley, 2 May 1970 (PDD 28266, OSC); Waitakere Ranges, Maungaroa Ridge Track, R.E. Beever 963, 21 Apr 1990 (PDD 57240).

Basidiomata up to 5 cm diam., globose to broadly obpyriform, yellowish white, irregularly mottled pale yellowish brown, surface faintly fibrillose, dull when fresh becoming sheeny on drying, sometimes cracking. Gleba dark greyish brown to moderate brown with occasional milky white flecks, locules more or less radially elongate, partially filled with spores, eventually deliquescing deep brown. Rhizomorphs evanescent. Columella dendroid, stout, with distinct branches to mid-sporocarp, gelatinous to milky translucent, with a non-gelatinised, cottony, white region near base. Taste slightly peppery. Odour sweetish putrid when deliquescent. Peridium separable, 400-500 µm thick, 2-layered; epicutis 30-50 µm thick, of yellowish brown, thin-walled, collapsed, periclinal hyphae 1-3 µm diam., clamp connections absent; subcutis 350-450 µm thick, of hyaline, thin-walled, interwoven hyphae, (3-)5-10(-25) µm diam., in longitudinal section appearing periclinally elongate with lenses of isodiametric hyphae, clamp connections absent, near gleba a band of collapsed, yellowish brown hyphae overlying sterile locules lined by basidium-like inflated cells to 25 µm diam.; sutures absent. Trama 100-200 µm thick, of hyaline, collapsed, compactly interwoven hyphae, 1-5(-6) µm diam., in a gelatinised matrix, clamp connections absent. Basidia cylindrical to subclavate, up to 8 µm diam. at apex, c. 5 µm at base, thin-walled, hyaline, (4-)6-spored. Spores smooth, 9-11 x 4-5.5 µm, oblong to ellipsoid, sometimes slightly asymmetric, apex obtuse, base truncate, sometimes with a sterigmal attachment 1-1.5 µm long by 1.5 µm wide; wall c. 1 µm thick. Utricle absent. Spore colour in KOH pale olive brown singly, yellowish brown in mass.

New Zealand

Habitat: hypogeous or subepigeous in scrubland and modified forest, putatively mycorrhizal with Leptospermum spp. Season: April to July.

Basidiomata usque ad 5 cm diam., globosa vel obpyriformia, eburnea, irregulariter avellaneo-columbrina. Gleba fusca vel brunnea, aliquot punctis lacteis. Rhizomorphae evanescentes. Columella dendroidea, crassa, gelatina vel lactitranslucens. Peridium 400-500 µm crassum; epicute 30-50 µm crassa, subcute 350-450 µm crassa. Trama 100-200 µm crassa. Sporae laeves, 9-11 x 4-5.5 µm, oblongae vel ellipsoideae, interdum parum asymmetricae, apice obtuso, base truncata, singulariter pallide olivaceo-brunneae, aggregate avellaneae. Holotypus: PDD 55927.

ETYMOLOGY: Named for New Zealand mycologist Joan M. Dingley, who has collected many truffle-like basidiomycetes.
REMARKS: Gallacea dingleyae is distinguished from G. eburnea by its thinner peridium and larger spores.

TYPE: NEW ZEALAND, TAUPO, Tongariro National Park, Ketetahi Track, R.E. Beever 872, 19 May 1989 (holotype PDD 55927; isotype OSC).