Cyathea medullaris (Forst. f.) Swartz. Auckland: Earthquake Flat, Rotorua, 1,500ft, June, 1952, G.H.C. Hemitelia smithii Hook. Taranaki: Mt. Egmont, 2,700f t, February, 1952, G.H.C.

Hymenophore annual, arachnoid, adnate, effused forming small linear irregular areas 2-8 x 0.5-1 cm; surface dingy white, even, finely velutinate, not creviced; margin thinning out, arachnoid, white, adnate. Context white, 15-25 µ thick, basal layer compact, of mainly parallel hyphae often embedding lenses of crystals, intermediate layer wanting; generative hyphae 2-2.5 µ diameter, walls 0.2 µ thick, hyaline, naked, branched, septate, with clamp connexions. Hymenial layer an irregular palisade of scattered basidia, paraphyses and cystidia. Basidia subclavate, projecting, 10-16 x 5-6 µ, 2-4-spored; sterigmata slender, to 4 µ long. Paraphyses subclavate or as often obclavate, 10-12 x 4 µ. Cystidia arising from the surface of the basal layer, projecting for the greater part of their length, subulate, 40-80 x 8-12 µ, apices bluntly acuminate, bases forked; apical regions at first coated with coarse deciduous crystals, becoming smooth when cystidia are enmeshed in a hyphal sheath. Spores lunate with acuminate ends, 9-11 x 3.5-4 µ, walls smooth, hyaline, 0.2 µ thick; sometimes adhering in fours.

TYPE LOCALITY. Whakarewarewa, New Zealand. DISTRIBUTION. New Zealand.

HABITAT. Effused on dead pendent stipes of tree ferns.

Features separating the species from P. vermifera are the smaller cystidia and basidia, lunate spores and effused fructifications confined to dead pendent stipes of tree ferns. Many cystidia are at first coated apically with coarse deciduous crystals; 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 gelatinized. Collections match the type in Kew herbarium, ex "Whakarewarewa, N.Z., W.N. Cheesman, on a fern petiole".

[Notes from Kew Type specimen, PRJ 2010] Kew images.

Fungus effuses, albido-griseus, tenuissimus, sub lente cystidiis hispidulus; subiculum fere nullum. Cystidia subulata, laevia, sed apice incrustata, crasse apice excepto tunicata, hasi bifurcate, 45-70 x 8-14 µ. Basidia non visa. Sporae fusiformes, utrinque acutae, arcuatae vel flexuoso-vermiculiformes, 9-11 x 2-3 µ. Hyphae indistinctae, 1 µ diametro.

Very close to P. vermifera Bourdot, in the peculiar spores, but differing especially in the smaller size of the spores and cystidia. The walls of the cystidia are acted on by potassium hydrate solutions in the same way as those of P. glebulosa Bres., to which the present species is also allied.

Hab. On a fern petiole, Whakarewarewa, near Rotorua, New Zealand.