K(M)235259, Stevenson 506. The relative paucity of spores on the pileus, stipe and lamellae suggest this was an immature specimen, which is supported by recent collections with a bigger stature. The centre of the pileus is minutely scurfy/scabrous and black. Stipitipellis hyphae with small knob-lile extensions. Spores excluding spines and apiculus length=5.9–7.2µm (µ=6.4, σ=0.39), width=6.0–7.2µm (µ=6.5, σ=0.35), Q=0.9–1.1µm (µ=0.99, σ=0.06), n=20

[Notes from Kew Type specimen, PRJ 2010] Kew images.

Under (1) N. fusca. Nelson: Lake Daniels track,15.V.1969, R. F. R. McN. (2) N. fusca and N. menziesii. Lake Daniels track,16.V.1969, R. F. R. McN. (3) N. menziesii, Lake Daniels track, 26. iv. 1969, 25.iv.l969, 16.V.1969, R. F. R. McN. (4) N. solandri. Canterbury: Lewis Pass near Boyle River, 25.iv.l969, R. J. McN.: Nelson: Dun Mountain track, /5.iv.l949, G. Stevenson no. 506, (HOLOTYPE, K). (5) Nothofagus sp., Wellington: Tongariro River, near Portal Ten, 25.V.1970, J. M. Dingley, PDD28307.

PILEUS: 0.5-3.5 cm diam., strongly convex when young, convex to plano-convex at maturity, hygrophanous, non-viscid, often radially sulcate at margins, minutely squarrose in centre, finely squamulose towards margins giving pileus a sooty or velutinate appearance, background fawn with faint violaceous tints, scales and squamules dark brown to brownish black. Cuticle composed of unspecialised, repent, interwoven, thin-walled, clamped hyphae 7-14 µm diam. with dark brown contents near surface of pileus, and often aggregated into irregular clumps. LAMELLAE: adnexed to adnate, distant, intermixed, thick, to 5 mm deep, pallid violaceous when young, turning buff with age, glaucous. STIPE: 3-6 cm long, ± equal or tapering apically, 3-6 mm diam., tough, dry, hollow, finely roughened particularly towards apex, longitudinally fibrillose, pallid violaceous when young, becoming pallid reddish brown to buff from base upwards with maturity, finally entirely buff except for violaceous tints at extreme apex; flesh concolorous with exterior; basal mycelium pallid violaceous. SPORES: spore print white when fresh; spores globose to subglobose, rarely broadly elliptical, apiculate, hyaline, inamyloid, moderately echinulate, 8-10-(10.5) µm diam, including spines, spines 0.7-1.5 µm long. HYMENIUM: basidia hyaline, clavate, 32-42 X 7.5-10.5 µm, 4-spored, sterigmata to 9 µm long; paraphyses sparse, simple or occasionally branched apically, irregularly filiform, to 7.5 µm diam., often projecting beyond basidia. HYMENOPHORAL TRAMA: regular, composed of tinted parallel-interwoven, long-celled hyphae; clamp connections present. CONTEXT OF PILEUS: thin, pallid violaceous, turning fawn at maturity. SMELL AND TASTE: not distinctive. CHEMICAL CHARACTERS: unknown.

Gregarious to caespitose under Nothofagus.

Stevenson, Kew Bull. 19: 10, fig. 5: pi. I, fig, 3. 1964; Taylor, Mushrooms and Toadstools in New Zealand, 13. 1970.

The type collection of Laccaria violaceo-niger is more stoutly stipitate than usual, but apart from this, the above collections agree with Stevenson's species. The species is readily recognisable by the dark coloured, finely squamulose pileus with a velutinate appearance, finely roughened stipe apex, and violaceous tinted lamellae and stipe. It is unlikely to be confused with any other species except possibly L. lilacina, from which it differs in the darker, more heavily squamulose pileus and finely roughened stipe apex. L. violaceo-niger is strictly associated with Nothofagus.

Pileus 1.5-3.5 cm diam., fuscous black with very small, velvety, floccose scales, convex becoming plane, with a down-rolled margin; flesh purplish-grey. Gills adnexed to decurrent, thick, some irregularly branched and ribbed, purple to greyish lavender, with white mealiness. Stipe 2.5-5 x 0.3-1 cm, purple above, vinaceous brown at the swollen base, hollow, floccose striate to almost scaly. Spores 7-9 µm diam., non-amyloid, sub-spherical with a prominent apiculus, thin-walled, spines 1-1.5 µm long. (Fig. 5).

In groups attached to litter under Nothofagus truncata. Dun Mt.. Nelson, 25.4-19491 Stevenson (type).

Pileus 1.5-3.5 cm diam., squamis minimis velutinis floccosis fusco-niger convexus deinde planus, margine deorsum involute; came purpureo-grisea. Lamellae adnexae usque decurrentes, crassae, interdum irregulariter ramosae et costatae, purpureae usque griseo-lavandulaceae, farina alba obductae. Stipes 2.5 x 0.3-1 cm, superne purpureus, basi tumida vinaceo-brunneus, cavus, floccoso-striatus usque fere squamosus. Sporae 7-9 µm diam., subsphaericae, haud amyloideae, prominenter apiculatae, parietibus tenuibus, spinis 1-1.5 µm longis.

Typus: Stevenson 506.