Beilschmiedia tawa (A.Cunn.) Hook.f. & Benth. Auckland: Huia, 100ft, November 1945, G.H.C. Leptospermum ericoides A.Rich. Auckland: Rereatukahia Reserve, Katikati, 300ft, October 1956, G.H.C. Leptospermum scoparium Forst. Auckland: Huia, 200ft, January 1954, E.E.Chamberlain. Metrosideros excelsa Sol. ex Gaertn. Auckland: Rangitoto Island, July 1950, J.M.Dingley. Metrosideros robusta A.Cunn. Auckland: Lake Okataina, 1,500ft, September 1954, G.H.C.Nothofagus fusca (Hook.f.) Oerst. Westland: Totara Flats, Granville Forest, April 1955, J.M.Dingley. Nothofagus menziesii (Hook.f.) Oerst. Otago: Alton Valley, Tuatapere, 400ft, February 1954, J.M.Dingley. Nothofagus truncata (Col.) Ckn. Auckland: Lake Waikaraeiti track, 2,800ft, September 1950, G.H.C., type collection, P.D.D. herbarium, No. 7644.

Hymenophore resupinate, perennial, membranous-woody, adnate, following closely the irregularities of the substratum, effused forming irregular linear areas 3-15 x 3-5 cm. Hymenial surface sepia, chocolate or black when old, velutinate, deeply irregularly creviced; margin abrupt, often cliff-like, adnate, concolorous. Context sepia, 300-750 µ thick, composed of masses of setae arranged in overlapping rows, embedded in upright hyphae, pseudoparenchymatous when old and containing numerous groups of coarse crystals, abhymenial area reduced to a delicate cemented zone lying upon the substratum; hyphal system dimitic; skeletal hyphae 3-4 µ diameter, walls 1 µ thick, golden brown, freely branched, septate; generative hyphae 2-2.5 µ diameter, walls 0.25 µ thick, hyaline, branched, septate. Setae projecting to 40 µ, subulate, 50-75 x 7-9 µ, walls naked or finely verruculose, reddish-brown, lumina narrow. Hymenial layer to 30 µ deep, a dense palisade of basidia and paraphyses. Basidia subclavate, 16-20 x 4-4.5 µ, 4-spored; sterigmata arcuate, slender, to 6 µ long. Paraphyses subclavate, shorter and slightly narrower than the basidia. Spores suballantoid, 4-5.5 x 2.5-3 µ, walls smooth, hyaline, 0.l µ thick.

DISTRIBUTION: New Zealand.

HABITAT: Effused on bark or decorticated dead wood of branches and trunks, associated with a pocket rot.

Resupinata, perennis, membranacea vel lignosa, adnata. Superficies hymenii sepiacea, badia vel nigra, rimosa; margine abrupto, adnato, concolori. Contextus sepiaceus multarum setarum in ordinibus partim superimpositis, in hyphis erectis mature pseudoparenchymatis inclusis. Hypharum systema dimiticum. Setae subulatae, ad 40 µ eminentes, nudae vel subtiliter verruculosae, 50-75 x 7-9 µ. Basidia subclavate, 16-20 x 4-4.5 µ, 4 sporis suballantoidibus, 4-5.5 x 2.5-3 µ.

Specific features are the coffee-coloured or chocolate surface, thick context composed entirely of numerous overlapping rows of setae and masses of crystals embedded in upright hyphae cemented to form a pseudoparenchyma; suballantoid somewhat small spores and absence of a cortex and intermediate tissue. The species shows a general resemblance to H. unicolor, and produces a similar pocket rot; it differs in surface colour, setal arrangement, suballantoid spores, presence of masses of crystals and absence of definite strata. In a few collections some setae of the hymenial layer are grouped in small fascicles of 2-5; in other collections this feature is absent, so is not of diagnostic value. Setae vary in length in different collections, in some being almost as short as those of H. vallata, in others exceeding slightly the dimensions for those of typical plants. Plants growing horizontally upon the sides of trunks become thickened on the upper margin, simulating specimens of slightly reflexed species. Their margins are glabrous and black, and in sections show the typical thick setal layer, so are evidently accidental growth conditions.

Auckland: Lake Waikaraeiti track, 2,800ft, September 1950, G.H.C., type collection, P.D.D. herbarium, No. 7644.