Holotype (PDD 10142): 'Secotium porphyreum Cunningham; on ground in beech forest; York Bay, 1922; leg. Atkinson & Cunningham'. - PDD 873: 'On ground in beech forest; York Bay, Wellington; Oct. 1919; leg. Atkinson & Cunningham'. - PC (Herb. Stevenson-Cone 409); 'Akaroa (Ile du Sud de la Nouvelle-Zélande; ler août 1948'. - Herb HK. ZT 67/100 (+ 67/101): 'Kowai Bush, Mt. Grey, Prov. Canterbury, N.Z.; leg. Horak, 15.IX.196, '. - Herb. HK. ZT 67/1967'. - Herb. HK. ZT 68/57: 'Lake Rotoiti, Prov. Nelson, N.Z.; leg. Horak, 3.II.1968'. - Herb. HK. ZT 69/10: 'ST. Arnaud Range.. Prov. Nelson, N.Z.; leg. Horak, 23.I.1969'.

The fruitingbodies of this common fungus in New Zealand can vary considerably in shape and size as is shown in Fig. 3 a-d. Excellent descriptions have been given by Cunningham (1942: 84), Heim (1951: 129) and Singer & Smith (1958: 212) but the white veil remnants scattered along the margin of the gastrocarp or along the stipe hitherto have been overlooked. All collections kept in our herbarium showed in fresh conditions obvious veil remnants, which cover parts of the peridium and still more frequently the lower portion of the stipe.
Spores 12-1.5 x 7.5-9.5 µm, ellipsoid to ellipsoid-oblong, rust brown, verrucose, mostly axially symmetric, perisporium poorly developed or lacking. Basidia 35-50 x 10-14 µm 4-spored. Cystidia absent. Epicutis consisting of interwoven, gelatinised, hyaline hyphae (2-6 µm diam.) forming a cutis, hyphae of subcutis cylindrical, with thin-walled membrane and epimembranous pigment. Clamp connections present, but sometimes rare.

On ground amongst litter of Nothofagus fusca, N. menziesii, N. solandri, N. cliffortioides. New Zealand.

Cunningham 1942: pl. 8, fig. 1, 2); Heim (1951: 129).

This species represents one of the most common fungi in all types of New Zealand Nothofagus forests. Th. porphyreum (Cunningham) also occurs during mild winter and its purple colours have attracted the attention of mycologists and naturalists alike.