COLLECTIONS EXAMINED: Under Pseudotsuga menziesii, Auckland, Rotorua, Hikurangi State Forest, May 1964, J. W. Gilmour and R.F.R. McN., 23606; J. M. Dingley and G. B. Rawlings, 23607; Canterbury, Ashley Forest, Jul 1964, R. M. J. Mackenzie, 23601; Winchester, Mar 1966, R.F.R. McN., 25089; Marlborough, Rai-Wangamoa State Forest, Apr 1965, W. A. Holloway, 24639; Nelson, Golden Downs State Forest, Apr 1965, W.A.H., 24640.

S. luteus is common in the exotic coniferous plantations of New Zealand and may be recognised by the presence of glandulae and a broadly sheathing annulus on the stipe. In mature fruitbodies growing under wet conditions the annulus may disintegrate leaving little trace. The first record of the species in this country appears to be that of Walker (1931).

Suillus lakei is endemic to the west coast of North America where it is typically associated with Pseudotsuga. In New Zealand it occurs only under P. menziesii. Smith and Thiers (1964) erected a variety of Suillus lakei, var. pseudopictus, which differed from the type in the redder and more scaly pileus. On these characters, New Zealand collections agree most closely with var. pseudopictus. In the type description of S. lakei, however, Murrill described the pileus as " . . . fulvous with latericeous tints, appearing testaceous, densely imbricate-floccose-scaly . . . ". It appears that the differences between the two varieties are not constant and, for this reason, the above collections are described under the type variety.

There is some disagreement as to the specific status of this fungus. Singer (1966) recently considered S. lakei a synonym of Boletinus amabilis (Peck) Snell, and transferred the latter species to Suillus. Before this, Singer (1945b) had tentatively separated the two by differences in spore width, but in the later publication considered that the range in spore width overlapped to a large extent and that the differences were largely imaginary. In contrast. Smith and Thiers (1967) maintained S. lakei and S. amabilis as distinct species on the grounds of differences in spore size and shape, context colour, cuticular structure, and habitat. In all New Zealand collections the spores are less than 4 µm. wide and thus agree with measurements from the type of S. lakei as described by Smith and Thiers (1964) rather than those obtained by either Singer (1966) or Smith and Thiers (1967) from the type of S. amabilis. At present it is considered preferable to regard S. lakei as a distinct species.

S. lakei may be distinguished by the squarrose, often red-tinted pileus, radially elongated pores, and annulate stipe. Was first recorded from New Zealand by Rawlings (1958).

TYPE LOCALITY: Corvallis, Oregon, U.S.A.