Nothofagus cliffortioides (Hook. f.) Oerst. Auckland: Kaimanawa Ranges, 2,300ft., March, 1952, G.H.C., type collection, P.D.D. herbarium, No. 11424. Rubus australis Forst. Westland: Staircase Creek, Reefton, 2,000ft., December, 1952, S.D. Baker.

Hymenophore annual, loosely attached, membranous-ceraceous. pelliculose, effused, forming many irregularly orbicular colonies 0.5-5 cm. diameter, or linear areas to 16 x 2 cm.; surface at first egg-yolk yellow, becoming reddish-brown in the centre with yellow periphery, vernicose, finally scantily creviced; margin thinning out, tending to lift, at first white, becoming yellow, byssoid, vernicose. Context white, 300-800 µ thick, commonly 300-400 µ, composed of a narrow basal layer of compact parallel hyphae, an intermediate layer of woven hyphae embedded in crystals, occupying the greater part of the context, and a subhymenium of densely compacted, closely septate, often obliquely arranged hyphae coated with mucilage granules which extend to the tissues of the hymenium; generative hyphae 2.5-3 µ diameter, wall 0.2 µ thick, naked, hyaline, branched, septate, with abundant clamp connections. Hymenial layer to 40 µ deep, of basidia and paraphyses. Basidia subclavate, 16-24 x 5-6 µ, 2-4-spored; sterigmata slender, to 6 µ long. Paraphyses subclavate, narrower than the basidia. Spores elliptical, 4-5.5 x 2-2.5 µ, wall smooth, hyaline, 0.2 µ thick.

DISTRIBUTION. New Zealand.

HABITAT. Effused on bark of dead standing saplings and stems.

Hymenophorum membranaceo-ceraceum, laxe adjunctum, effusum; superficie primo vitellina deinde centrale rubro-brunnea, margine flavea, vernicose, demum raro rimosa. Contextus albus, hyphis in conglomeratis crystallis sitis et flavis granulis mucilaginis tectis, fibulatis, 2.5-3 µ diam. Basidia 16-24 x 5-6 µ, 2-4 sporis. Sporae ellipticae, 4-5.5 x 2-2.5 µ, laeves, hyalinae.

In size and shape of spores and basidia the species resembles C. leptospermi; it differs in context structure, surface features and absence of paraphysate hyphae. Context tissues are arranged in three distinct zones: a basal narrow layer of compact mainly parallel hyphae, an intermediate layer of woven (not vertical) hyphae, and a narrow, compact subhymenium, cells of which are cubical and cemented together. Masses of crystals are packed between hyphae of the intermediate layer, and additionally granules of mucilage coat hyphae and basidia in the collection from Rubus. In young plants the surface is bright egg-yolk yellow, smooth and varnished; as specimens age the centre turns reddish-brown though still retaining its polished appearance, and finally deep fissures appear, though somewhat sparingly.

Auckland: Kaimanawa Ranges, 2,300ft., March, 1952, G.H.C., type collection, P.D.D. herbarium, No. 11424.

The species belongs to Phlebia and is close to or identical with Ph. nitidula (P. Karst.) Ryv.