Coprosma cuneata Hook.f. Wellington: Tongariro River, Kaimanawas, 2,800ft, December 1955, G.H.C., type collection, P.D.D. herbarium, No. 16540; Pangarara River, Mt. Tongariro, 3,000ft, December 1955, G.H.C. Leptospermum ericoides A.Rich. Auckland: Great Island, Three Kings, January 1951, G.T.S.Baylis. Leptospermum scoparium Forst. Wellington: Tongariro River, Kaimanawas, 2,800ft, December 1955, G.H.C. Nothofagus cliffortioides (Hook.f.) Oerst. Wellington: Maungatorotoro Stream, Mt. Ruapehu, 3,000ft, March 1948, J.M.Dingley; Kaimanawa Ranges, 3,000ft, January 1955, G.H.C. Phyllocladus alpinus Hook.f. Wellington: Mt. Hauhangatahi, 2,500ft, January 1954, S.D.Baker; Tongariro River, Kaimanawas, 2,800ft, April 1955, J.M.Dingley.

Hymenophore resupinate, annual, coriaceous-brittle, closely adnate, forming irregularly orbicular colonies 2-20 mm across. Hymenial surface ferruginous or cinnamon, tuberculate, deeply irregularly creviced, especially towards the centre; margin concolorous, thinning out, definite, lobed. Context ferruginous, 150-250 µ thick, composed of an intermediate tissue of loosely arranged parallel hyphae and a cortex 10-15 µ thick bearing a few brief abhymenial hairs; hyphal system dimitic; skeletal hyphae varying in thickness, 2-4-6 µ diameter, walls 0.5-1.5 µ thick, golden yellow, branched, septate; generative hyphae 2.5-3 µ diameter, walls 0.25 µ thick, hyaline, branched, septate. Setal layer occupying the greater part of the context, 150-200 µ deep, of 10-15 overlapping rows of setae embedded in branched brown hyphae; setae projecting to 40 µ, commonly subulate, or irregularly fusiform, 40-65 x 7-9 µ, many buried in the context when laying at all angles, often distorted, walls irregularly and often coarsely verruculose, reddish-brown, lumina broad. Hymenial layer to 40 µ deep, a dense palisade of basidia and paraphyses. Basidia subclavate, 12-16 x 3.5-4 µ, 2-4-spored; sterigmata slender, slightly arcuate, to 5 µ long. Spores allantoid, 4-5 x 1-1.5 µ, walls smooth, hyaline 0.1 µ thick.

DISTRIBUTION: New Zealand.

HABITAT: Scattered or crowded on bark and decorticated wood of branches and stems, associated with a white rot.

Resupinata, annua, coriacea, fragilis, adnata. Superficies hymenii ferruginea vel cinnamomea, tuberculata, rimosa; margine concolori, lobato, adnato. Contextus hypharum laxe ordinatarum maxime parallelarum, ferrugineus; cortex adest. Hypharum systema dimiticum. Setarum stratum 10-15 ordinibus, subulatis vel interdum inaequaliter fusiformibus, verruculosis, 40-65 x 7-9 µ, partim superimpositis, ad 40 µ eminentibus. Basidia subclavata, 12-16 x 3.5-4 µ, 2-4 sporis allantoidibus, 4-5 x 1-1.5 µ.

Separated from H. floridea, which it resembles in microfeatures, by the ferruginous or cinnamon colour of the hymenial surface, absence of a differently coloured margin, and brittle context. In minor microfeatures they also differ; for in H. plurimaesetae the setal layer is so thickened as to occupy the greater part of the context, so that the intermediate tissue is reduced to a somewhat tenuous layer. The cortex may be well developed, scanty or, where the section contacts the substratum, suppressed. It is always present in some portion of the plant, however, as may be demonstrated by sections prepared from different parts. In some collections two or three darker bands traverse the setal layer; they are absent from others so are without taxonomic import.

Coprosma cuneata Hook.f. Wellington: Tongariro River, Kaimanawas, 2,800ft, December 1955, G.H.C., type collection, P.D.D. herbarium, No. 16540

ARALIACEAE. Neopanax colensoi: Wellington, Whakapapa, Mt. Ruapehu, 950 m. Pseudopanax crassifolium: Otago, Lake Wilkie, Catlins. CONIFERAE. Dacrydium cupressinum: Wellington, Blyth Track, Ohakune, 700 m. Podocarpus ferrugineus: Wellington, Mt. Tongariro, 900 m. Podocarpus spicatus: Auckland, Hauhangaroa Ranges, 750 m. CUNONIACEAE. Weinmannia racemosa: Auckland, Mamaku Forest, 650 m; Camels Back, Coromandel Peninsula, 600 m; Kaimai Ranges, 450 m; Te Whaiti, 700 m; Mt. Pihanga, 850 m. Wellington, Mt. Hauhangatahi, 750 m; Ohakune, 850 m. Westland, Waiho, 200 m; Karangarua Valley, 120 m; Harihari, 30 m; Weheka, 200 m. Otago, Doubtful Sound, 120 m; Alton Valley, Tuatapere, 120 m; Half-moon Bay, Stewart Island; Niagara, Catlins. ELAEOCARPACEAE. Elaeocarpus dentatus: Westland, Harihari. EPACRIDACEAE. Cyathodes fasciculata: Auckland, Titirangi, 250 m; Scenic Drive, Waitakere Ranges, 300 m; Kauaeranga Valley, Thames, 110 m. FAGACEAE. Nothofagus cliffortioides: Wellington, Kaimanawa Ranges, 850-950 m. Westland, Karangarua Valley, 130 m. Nothofagus menziesii: Otago, Longwood Ranges, 400 m. LAURACEAE. Beilschmiedia tawa: Auckland, Lake Rotoehu, 400 m. MYRTACEAE. Leptospermum ericoides: Auckland, Great King Island; Little Barrier Island. Leptospermum scoparium: Auckland, Waitakere Ranges, 300 m. Otago, Ryans Creek, Stewart Island. Lophomyrtus bullata: Auckland, Lake Rotoehu, 400 m. ONAGRACEAE Fuchsia excorticata: Westland, Harihari; Karangarua Valley, 130 m. Otago, Horseshoe Bay, Stewart Island. PAPILIONACEAE. Sophora microphylla: Auckland, Orakei Bush, 35 m. POLYGONACEAE. Muehlenbeckia australis: Otago, Lake Wilkie, Catlins. RUBIACEAE. Coprosma foetidissima: Otago, Lake Wilkie, Catlins. SAXIFRAGACEAE. Carpodetus serratus: Otago, Horseshoe Bay, Stewart Island. UNKNOWN HOSTS. New South Wales, Sydney; Tuggerah. South Australia, National Park; Careys Gully, Bridgwater. Western Australia, Pemberton.

Hymenophore resupinate, annual, membranous, adherent, at first appearing as small orbicular scattered colonies 0.5-2 cm across, merging to form irregular linear areas 5-15 x 2-6 cm; hymenial surface reddish-brown, often with a purple tinge or purplish when old, even or irregularly roughened, finely velutinate, either without crevices, tardily creviced, or in old specimens sometimes exhibiting radiate series of crevices as in H. obesa; margin thinning out, fibrillose, loosely attached, narrow or broad, fulvous. Context ferruginous, 150-250 µm thick, of mainly parallel hyphae rather loosely arranged, cortex of cemented intertwined hyphae bearing abhymenial hairs of irregular length; skeletal hyphae 4-5 µm diameter, walls 0.5-1 µm thick, golden yellow; generative hyphae 2-2.5 µm diameter, walls 0.25 µm thick, hyaline. Setal layer 80-130 µm deep, of 2-5 crowded overlapping rows of setae embedded among erect skeletal hyphae and of one or two rows of larger, scattered and often distorted setae in the context; setae irregularly fusiform, a few subulate, some projecting to 40 µm, 40-70 x 6-10 µm (some in the context to 85 µm long), walls delicately verruculose at apices, rich chestnut with moderately narrow lumena. Hymenial layer to 25 µm deep, a close palisade of basidia and paraphyses. Basidia subclavate, 12-15 x 3-4 µm, bearing 2-4 spores; sterigmata slender, slightly arcuate, to 5 µm long. Paraphyses cylindrical, 8-12 x 3-4 µm. Spores allantoid, 4-5 x 1 µm, walls smooth, hyaline, 0.1 µm thick.

DISTRIBUTION: Ceylon, Australia, New Zealand.

HABITAT: Bark of dead branches and trunks associated with a white rot.

Collections agree in microfeatures with the type in Kew herbarium, ex "Central Provinces, Thwaites, No. 336". Many differ in being less brightly coloured, a feature without taxonomic significance. The species may be separated from others of this section by the small allantoid spores; small setae crowded into several overlapping rows, reddish-brown colour of the hymenial surface and fulvous margin. It is liable to confusion with H. plurimaesetae, differing in features discussed under the latter. Sometimes the cortex is suppressed where tissues are in contact with the substratum; but sections from the free peripheral region demonstrate its presence. Most collections were taken from upright dead trunks and saplings, when the upper margins become thickened to simulate rudimentary pilei.

TYPE LOCALITY: Ceylon.

[Notes from Kew Type specimen, PRJ 2010] notes in type folder, the duplicates from the PDD holotype had been sent to K and BPI