Under (1) N. fusca and N. menziesii. Nelson: Maruia, 7.V.1968, R.F.R. McN.; 25.iv.l969, R.F.R. and R.J. McN., (HOLOTYPE, PDD 26563); (2) N. menziesii. Nelson: Karamea, Umere, 8.i.l968, R.F.R. McN: (3) N. solandri var. cliffortioides, Canterbury: Craigieburn, 20.V.1970, R.F.R. McN.

Fructifications coriaceous, stipitate and pileate. Pileus spathulate to flabelliform and laterally stipitate, or infundibuliform and centrally stipitate, sometimes aggregated into groups of 3-5 with fused or free stipes and fused pileus margins, occasionally forming incomplete rosettes, often solitary, 2-4.5 cm high, individual fructifications 1-4 cm diam. Surface of pileus brown to dark brown, sometimes radially streamed sordid white, finely tomentose particularly near margins when young, subglabrous to innately radially strigose or striate at maturity, often with a silky sheen, typically concentrically zoned light and dark brown; margins thin, white to pallid brown, straight, lobed, complicate, or deeply lacerate and forming narrow aculeate projections. Hymenial surface fawn-brown to beige, sterile margin broad; spines decurrent, 0.5-1.5 mm long, subulate, crowded, sordid white to fawn. Stipe 0.5-1.5 cm long, cylindrical or flattened, 3-10mm thick, concolorous with pileus, solid, subglabrous, often tomentose basally, frequently arising from a common mycelial mass. Context 0.5-1.5 mm thick, dark brown, azonate, monomitic, hyphae parallel or slightly interwoven, thin-walled, non-inflating, 3-5 µm diam., sparingly branched, sparsely septate, clamp connections absent: cortical hyphae slightly thicker walled with darker contents; hyphae in spines 2.5-4.5 µm diam., thin-walled, more branched and more regularly septate than in context. Hymenium composed of basidia and simple paraphyses: basidia subclavate to clavate, 23-40xX 5-7.5 µm, 4-spored. Spores subglobose to globose, hyaline or faintly tinted yellow in KOH, thin-walled, inamyloid, bluntly apiculate, finely and sparsely verrucose, 4.5-5.2 µm diam.

Gregarious or caespitose under Nothofagus.

Pileus spathulatus ad flabelliformem, vel infundibuliformis, solitarius vel aggregatus, singulae fructificationes 2-4,5 cm altae, 1-4 cm diam., brunneae ad atrobrunneas. Spinae decurrentes, 0.5-1.5 mm longae, confertae, sordide albae ad hinnuleas. Stipes 0.5-1.5 cm longus. 3-10 mm latus, atrobrunneus. Sporae subglobosae ad globosas, hyalinae, tenuiparietes, 4.5-5,2 µm diam., subtiliter verrucosae.

Phellodon nothofagi resembles P. sinclairii (Berk.) G. H. Cunn. in many microscopical characters,. and occurs in similar habitats. It is readily distinguishable by the smaller, brown fructifications and the absence of an aniseed smell.

Typus sub Nothofago fusca et N. menziesii. Nelson: Maruia, 25.iv.l969, R.F.R. et R.J. McNabb, PDD 26563.