Pilei annual; scattered, waxy, brittle, copulate, 0.5-0.75 mm. diameter, attached by a narrow base; exterior white, tomentum composed of tortuous aseptate thick-walled branched hyphae, 5 µ diameter, with lumen almost obliterated, coated with coarse deciduous crystals, terminating in long, gradually tapering spirally coiled naked apices; margins inturned, lacerate when old; hymenial surface concave, buff or honey-coloured. Context white, to 50 µ thick, to 300 µ at the base, of parallel radiately arranged hyphae; generative hyphae to 3.5 µ diameter, wall 0.25 µ thick, sparsely branched, septate. Hymenial layer to 40 µ deep, paraphyses subclavate. Basidia subclavate, 16-20 x 5-6 µ, 4-spored. Spores fusiform-elliptical, apex rounded, base pointed and apiculate, 7-8 x 3-3.5 µ, smooth, hyaline.

DISTRIBUTION. New Zealand.

HABITAT. Scattered on bark of dead twigs.

Pilei sparsi, cerosi, cupul ati, 0.5-0.75 mm. diam.; exteriore parte alba, tomento hyphis tortuosis, aseptatis, ralnosis, ad 5 µ diam., parietibus crassis, crystallis crassus deciduis illinatis, lumine paente obliterato, apicibus nudis in spiris longis fastigatis; margine inflecto, lacerato in maturitate. Contextus albus, ad 50 µ crassus, hyphis ad 3.5 µ diam., in radiis ordinatis, pariete 0.25 µ crasso. Paraphyses subclavati. Sporae fusiformes, ellipticae, apice rotundo, basi acuta et apiculata, 7-8 x 3-3.5 µ, leves, hyalinae.

In general appearance C. tongariro and C. pseudopanax resemble one another, but may be separated by the different spores and tomentum. Hairs of C. tongariro are branched, thick-walled, long-acuminate and terminate in whip-like coiled tendrils. The basal part is coated with coarse crystals, the apical naked. Both also show a general resemblance to C. villosa, differing mainly in the markedly distinct tomentum and different spores.

Phyllocladus trichomanoides Don. Auckland. Mt. Tongariro, 2,500 feet; March, 1952; G.H.C.; type collection.