FILICALES. Cyathea medullaris: Auckland, Kauri Park, Birkdale, 100 m; Earthquake Flat, Rotorua, 500 m. Cyathea smithii: Taranaki, Mt. Egmont, 900 m.

Hymenophore annual, arachnoid, adherent, effused forming small linear or irregular areas 2-8 x 0.5-1 cm; hymenial surface white, even, finely velutinate, not creviced; margin thinning out, arachnoid, white, adherent. Context white, 15-25 µm thick, basal layer compact, of mainly parallel hyphae often embedding lenses of crystals, intermediate layer wanting; generative hyphae 2-2.5 µm diameter, walls 0.2 µm thick, naked, with clamp connections. Cystidia arising from the surface of the basal layer, projecting for the greater part of their length, subulate, 44-80 x 8-12 µm, apices bluntly acuminate, bases forked, apical regions of some at first encrusted with coarse crystals, becoming smooth when cystidia are enmeshed in hyphal sheaths. Hymenial layer an irregular palisade of scattered basidia, paraphyses, and cystidia. Basidia subclavate, 10-16 x 5-6 µm, bearing 2-4 spores; sterigmata slender, to 4 µm long. Paraphyses subclavate or as often obclavate, 10-12 x 3.5-4 µm. Spores lunate with acuminate ends, 9-11 x 3.5-4 µm, walls smooth, hyaline, 0.2 µm thick; sometimes adhering in fours, or pairs.

DISTRIBUTION: New Zealand.

HABITAT: Effused on dead pendent stipes of tree ferns.

Separated from T. vermifera by the smaller cystidia and basidia, lunate spores, and effused fructifications confined to dead pendent stipes of tree ferns. Some cystidia are at first encrusted apically with coarse deciduous crystals, then simulating metuloids; these soon disappear, to be replaced by hyphal sheaths. Spores are lunate and may adhere in pairs or fours. Lenses of crystals are often embedded in the context, hyphae of which collapse and become gelatinised. Collections match the type of 'Peniophora' vermicularis in Kew herbarium, ex "N.Z., Whakarewarewa, W. N. Cheesman, on a fern petiole."

TYPE LOCALITY: Whakarewarewa, Auckland, New Zealand.