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Hymenophore annual, or biennial, adnate, chalky, effused, forming linear areas to 24 x 3 cm., or as frequently numerous small elliptical crowded colonies 1-25 mm. long; surface white, pallid cream when old, finely colliculose, deeply finely areolately creviced; margin thinning out, white, arachnoid, adnate. Context white, 100-140 µ thick, composed of a thin basal layer of parallel hyphae and an intermediate layer of somewhat loosely arranged upright hyphae embedded in masses of crystals which may extend between tissues of the hymenium; generative hyphae 2.5-3.5 µ diameter, wall 0.5 µ thick, hyaline, naked, branched, septate, with clamp connections. Hymenial layer to 40 µ deep, of basidia, paraphyses and paraphysate hyphae. Basidia clavate, 16-24 x 5-6 µ, 4-spored; sterigmata slender, to 10 µ long. Paraphyses scanty, subclavate, smaller than the basidia. Paraphysate hyphae projecting, simple or more usually finely apically branched. Spores oval or obovate, 6-9 x 5-6 µ, apiculate, wall smooth, hyaline, 0.5 µ thick.

DISTRIBUTION. New Zealand.

HABITAT. Effused over bark of dead branches.

Hymenophorum cretaceum, adnatum, effusum; superficie alba deinde pallide cremea, subtiliter colliculosa, alte subtiliter areolate rimosa. Hyphae contextus in conglomeratis crystallis sitae, fibulatae, 2.5-3.5 µ diam., nudae. Basidia 16-24 x 5-6 µ, 4 sporis. Hyphae paraphysatae apice uno vel aliquot ramulis. Sporae ovatae vel obovatae, 6-9 x 5-6 µ, apiculatae, laeves, hyalinae.

Both this species and C. scutellare possess a finely areolately creviced hymenohore and masses of crystals in the context. Occasional specimens exhibit two or three layers, somewhat vaguely defined by a few parallel compacted hyphae. C. corniculatum may be separated from C. scutellare by the oval spores and branched projecting paraphysate hyphae. The latter are branches of the context hyphae with apices simple or irregularly finely branched into two to five often curved arms. Sometimes they are basally inflated near the septum. Because of these branched paraphysate hyphae the species might be sought under Vararia. They are not dendrophyses, however, nor are basidia of the Vararia type; and as the species closely resembles C. scutellare it is herein regarded as a Corticium.

Kauri Glen, Northcote, August, 1951, J.M. Dingley, type collection, P.D.D. herbarium, No. 11339

Hyphae hyaline, thin- to slightly thick-walled, 2.2 µm wide, with clamps, but not at all septa. Hyphidia simple or branched, hyaline, thin-walled, 2.5-3.5 µm wide at the base, 1-2 µm wide in the branched parts, often apically covered with crystals. Gloeocystidia absent or very indistinct, hardly discernible from young basidia (rarely an apical bulb was seen), sulpho-negative. Basidia clavate to stalked, 15-30 x 6.5-8 µm. Spores hyaline, thin walled, smooth, ovoid to ellipsoid, 7-8.5(-9) x 4.5-5.5(-6) x 5.5-6.5 µm, with prominent apiculus, not amyloid.

The species belongs to Dendrothele and is close to D. commixta (Hohn. & Litsch.) J. Erikss. & Ryv., which has larger spores, and D. microspora (H. S. Jacks. & Lemke) Lemke, which lacks clamps altogether. The type of rot is indistinct, but seems to be white.