Podocarpus hallii Kirk. Auckland. Mt. Tongariro, 2,500 feet; March, 1952; G.H.C. Titirangi; February, 1951; J. M. Dingley. Wellington. Mt. Hector; Tararua Ranges, 2,700 feet; January, 1931; E.E. Chamberlain. Podocarpus totara Don. Auckland. Oratia, Waitakere Ranges, 600 feet; January, 1932; M. Hodgkins. Swanson; November, 1945; J.M. Dingley. Titirangi; February, 1951; J.M. Dingley. Canterbury. Peel Forest, 1,800 feet; January, 1928; G.H.C.; type collection. Otago. Lower Pike River, Hollyford Valley; January, 1950; J.M. Dingley.

Pilei annual, scattered, membranous, tough, 2-3 mm. long, 1-3 mm. broad, pendulous when attached by a narrow vertex, or conical-cupulate when seated upon a somewhat broad base; exterior surface fawn or tan, darker peripherally, finely radiate-striate, or wrinkled, naked; margin acute, inturned or plane, entire or slightly lacerate; hymenial surface even, concave, bay-brown. Context white (brown in some old specimens), 150-250 µ thick, to 500 µ at the base, of radiately arranged sclerotioid compact hyphae; generative hyphae to 5 µ diameter, wall 1 µ thick, hyaline, branched, septate, tortuous. Hymenial layer to 70 µ deep, paraphyses subclavate. Basidia clavate, 40-56 x 7-9 µ, 2-4-spored. Spores obovate or elliptical, apiculate, 8-9.5 x 5-6 µ, smooth, hyaline.

DISTRIBUTION. New Zealand.

HABITAT. Scattered on bark of living and dead branches.

Pilei sparsi, membranacei, penduli et vertice angusto adjuncti vel conice cupulati ubi in basi lata sedent, 2-3 mm, longi, 1-3 mm, lati; exteriore parte hinnulea vel alutacea, in radiis tenuiter striata, nuda; margine acuto, inflecto vel plano, toto vel paulo lacerato. Contextus albus, 150-250 µ, crassus, hyphis sclerotioidibus ad 5 µ diam. in radiis ordinatis, pariete 1 µ crasso. Paraphyses sub-clavati. Sporae obovatae vel ellipticae, apiculatae, 8-9.5 x 5-6 µ, leves, hyalinae.

The species is common on two endemic species of Podocarpus, called totara by the Maori, hence its specific name. It is often present on bark of living trunks or branches, though as frequent on dead branches. Close to C. hebe, it may be separated by the usually much larger size of pilei, thicker context with different hyphae, and differently shaped shorter spores. In Kew herbarium is filed one collection, ex totara bark, Buller Valley, Westland, T. Kirk, No. 236. It was placed by Cooke under the cover of C. cupulaeformis Berk. & Rav., a species which differs in possessing markedly angular, distorted, and irregular spores.

CONIFERAE. Podocarpus hallii: Auckland, Titirangi, Waitakere Ranges, 250 m. Wellington, National Park, 950 m; Mt. Tongariro, 850-1,100 m; Mt. Hector, Tararua Ranges, 900 m. Canterbury, Arthur's Pass, 850 m. Podocarpus totara: Auckland, Swanson, 120 m; Oratia, Waitakere Ranges, 200 m; Titirangi, 250 m. Wellington, Mt. Holdsworth, Tararua Ranges, 1,350 m. Canterbury, Peel Forest, 600 m, type collection, P.D.D. herbarium, No. 3349. Otago, Hollyford Valley, 250 m; Alton Stream, Tuatapere, 120 m; Ulva Islet, Stewart Island; Ryans Creek, Stewart Island.

Pilei annual, scattered, membranous-coriaceous, 2-3 mm long, 1-8 mm broad, usually pendulous when attached by narrow vertices, conical-cupulate when seated upon narrow bases, or sometimes scutellate and attached by broad bases; exterior fawn or tan, darker peripherally, finely radiate striate, or wrinkled, naked; margin acute, inturned or plane, entire or slightly lacerate; hymenial surface even or slightly rugulose, bay, concave. Context white (brown in some old specimens), to 250 µ, thick, of radiately arranged, compact, parallel hyphae; generative hyphae 4-5 µ, diameter, walls 1 µ, thick, hyaline, tortuous. Hymenial layer to 70 µ deep, a dense palisade of basidia and paraphyses. Basidia clavate, 40-56 x 7-9 µ, bearing 2-4 spores; sterigmata erect, slender, to 5 µ long. Paraphyses subclavate, 32-48 x 6-7 µ. Spores obovate or elliptical, apiculate, 8-9.5 x 5-6 µ, walls smooth, hyaline, 0.2 µ thick.

TYPE LOCALITY: Peel Forest, Canterbury, New Zealand.
DISTRIBUTION: New Zealand.

HABITAT: Scattered on bark of living and dead branches and trunks.

Common on two endemic species of Podocarpus, called totara by the Maori, the species possesses the largest pilei of any present in the region. Usually 1-3 mm diameter, pendulous and conical-cupulate (as in the type collection), pilei sometimes may extend laterally to 8 mm, and become scutellate with a slightly wrinkled hymenial surface. Pilei grow upon bark of living or dead branches and small trunks, and because of the exterior colour are difficult to detect. In Kew herbarium there is a collection, ex "Buller Valley, Westland, T. Kirk, No. 236" which Cooke placed under the cover of `Cyphella' cupulaeformis Berk. & Rav. The latter differs in possessing markedly angular, distorted, irregular spores