OTHER COLLECTIONS EXAMINED: NEW ZEALAND: TAUPO: Turangi, M. Chu-Chou, 22 Apr 1981 (NZFRI 3296b); Kaimanawa Forest Park, Kiko Road, R.E. Beever 708, 7 May 1987 (PDD 48805, OSC); Kaimanawa Forest Park, Tree Trunk Gorge, R.E. Beever 877,19 May 1989 (PDD 55919); Tongariro National Park, Taranaki Falls Track, R.E. Beever 881, 20 May 1989 (PDD 55922). NELSON: Nelson City, track to Fringed Hill, J.D. Hayward & R. E. Beever 577, 28 Apr 1986 (PDD 48807, OSC); Takaka River, Cobb Dam road, Asbestos Forest Walk, M.K. Thayer, 2 Jan 1985 (PDD 48808, OSC). BULLER: Maruia, R.F.R. McNabb, 24 Apr 1969 (PDD 31435, OSC); Warbeck Scenic Reserve, Maruia Saddle, R.E. Beever 209,16 Apr 1983 (PDD 48801, OSC); south of Lewis Pass, M. K. Thayer, 24 Dec 1984 (PDD 48809, OSC); NORTH CANTERBURY: Arthur's Pass National Park, Halpin Creek, Y. Doi & R.E. Beever 632, 22 Apr 1987 (PDD 48804). FIORDLAND: Fiordland National Park, Kepler Track, R.E. Beever 999, 17 May 1990 (PDD 57835).

Basidiomata up to 3 cm diam., globose to depressed, larger sporocarps somewhat irregular, surface white to pale yellow, when fresh, pale pink to brown when bruised, pale greyish yellow brown to pale yellow brown when dried, glabrous Gleba gelatinous, dark greyish olive to yellow brown to olive black when deliquescent; locules elongate, more or less radially arranged, partially filled. Rhizomorph evanescent, single, stout concolorous with peridium. Columella dendroid, up to 6 primary branches in longitudinal section, gelatinous, translucent to white near attachment point, translucent brown when dried. Taste nil to slightly peppery. Odour nil to sharply putrid when gleba deliquescent. Peridium 2-layered, c. 1 mm thick, epicutis readily peeling from subcutis; epicutis 250- 300(-350) µm thick, of thin-walled, compact, irregularly shaped, subpericlinal to interwoven hyphae, 5-8 µm diam., occasionally inflated to 12.5(-25) µm diam., outer 10-20 µm golden brown, inner portion hyaline, clamp connections absent; subcutis c. 800 µm thick, of hyaline, irregularly shaped, compact, interwoven hyphae, c. 5 µm diam., in a gelatinised matrix, clamp connections absent. Sutures transecting subcutis, common, structurally similar to, and continuous with, the inner portion of the epicutis and trama. Trama of hyaline, thin-walled, compact, interwoven hyphae, c. 5 µm diam., in a gelatinised matrix of different texture to that of peridial subcutis clamp connections absent. Basidia hyaline, thin-walled, elongate to mostly napiform, 20-23 x 4-9 µm, broader at base than apex, 6-8-spored. Spores smooth, 6-7 x 3-3.5 µm, ellipsoid, apex obtuse, base with a short sterigmal attachment to sessile; wall <0.5 µm thick. Utricle absent. Spore colour in KOH pale green singly, pale olive green in mass.

New Zealand.

Habitat: hypogeous in Nothofagus forest, putatively mycorrhizal with Nothofagus fusca, N. menziesii, N. solandri, and N. solandri var. cliffortioides. Season: December through May.

Basidiomata usque ad 3 cm diam., globosa, depresse globosa vel irregularia, alba vel pallide luteorosea, contundentibus pallide avellanea, glabra. Gleba gelatinosa, obscure cinereo-olivacea vel obscure cinereo-luteobrunnea, loculis elongatis, plus minusve radiantibus, partialiter repletis. Rhizomorpha evanescens, singularis, crassa, peridio concolor. Columella dendroidea, gelatinosa, translucens. Sapor destitutus vel parum piperatus. Odor destitutus acute putridus. Peridium separabile, plus minusve 1 mm crassa; epicute facile e subcute separanti, 250-300(-350) µm crassa, hyphis hyalinis, irregularibus, intertextis vel subparallelis, 5-8 µm diam., interdum usque ad 12.5(-25) µm inflatis; subcute plus minusve 800 µm crassa, hyphis hyalinis, irregularibus, intertextis, plus minusve 5 µm diam., in matrice gelatinosa. Cutis suturis frequentibus, epicutem interiorem simulantibus. Trama hyphis hyalinis, intertextis, plus minusve 5 µm diam., in matrice gelatinosa. Basidia 20-23 x 4-9 µm. Sporae laeves, 6-7 x 3-3.5 µm, ellipsoideae, apice obtuso; paries minus quam 0.5 µm crassus; singulariter pallide virides, aggregate pallide olivaceo-virides. Holotypus PDD 48806.

ETYMOLOGY: Referring to the association of this fungus with Nothofagus.
REMARKS: Protubera nothofagi differs from other Protubera species in its larger spores, separable epicutis, and strict association with Nothofagus spp.

TYPE: NEW ZEALAND, NELSON, Nelson City, track to Fringed Hill, R.E. Beever 667, 30 Apr 1987 (holotype PDD 48806; isotype OSC).

Type: Mycorrhizal Fungi; Description: Basidiomata hypogeous, globose to depressed globose, white to pale yellowish pink, pink to brown when bruised, up to 30 mm in diameter, with a single evanescent rhizomorph; peridium composed of two layers, golden brown in section. Gleba dark greyish olive to olive black; locules elongate, more or less radially arranged, partially filled with basidiospores, gelatinous, deliquescing later; tramal plates consisting of interwoven hyaline hyphae; columella branched. Basidiospores elliptical, 0-septate, 6–7 × 3–4 μm, smooth, pale green; utricle absent.

Distribution: Taupo, Nelson, Buller, Fiordland, North Canterbury.; 1st Record: Chu-Chou & Grace (1983b: as Hysterangium sp. 4, pro parte).

Significance: Putatively mycorrhizal (Castellano & Beever 1994).; Host(s): Nothofagus fusca, N. menziesii, N. solandri var. solandri, N. solandri var. cliffortioides.