Type: Mycorrhizal Fungi; Description: Basidiomata epigeous to subepigeous, subglobose to pyriform but very variable in shape and size, dirty white to ochraceous, becoming brown, 30–200 mm high, with a prominent rooting base; peridium composed of a single layer, thin, membranous, breaking away irregularly from the apex. Gleba divided into polygonal or lenticular chambers by persistent tramal plates; chambers filled with a powdery, ochraceous to brown mass of basidiospores. Basidiospores globose, 0-septate, 7–12 μm in diameter, densely covered with spines, smoky grey.

Distribution: Areas affected by geothermal activity in Bay of Plenty, Taupo.; 1st Record: Chu-Chou & Grace (1983b).

Notes: Recent work (Moyersoen et al. 2003) has shown that P. tinctorius may not be present in New Zealand. These authors showed that on the basis of rDNA internal transcribed spacer (ITS) sequence analysis and spore morphology, the New Zealand collections fell into three phylogenetic groups that have been previously proposed as putative species associated with Eucalyptus spp. in Australia.

Significance: Pisolithus tinctorius sensu lato has a worldwide distribution. It has been shown to be a successful mycorrhizal partner of many plants, including species of Pinus and Eucalyptus (Cairney & Chambers 1997). Marx (1977) showed that it was an early coloniser of eroded soils and mine spoil heaps. It is a very variable species in terms of basidioma and basidiospore morphology (Burgess et al. 1994) and ability to form mycorrhizae (Tonkin et al. 1989). This suggests that several distinct biological species may be involved. Martin et al. (1998) showed that different morphological types associated with specific hosts also differed genetically and that little genetic exchange occurred between morphological types in the field. Moyersoen et al. (2003) have shown that the New Zealand form of the fungus first described by Cunningham (1931c) is in fact a mixture of three species, none of which is P. tinctorius sensu stricto. Each of the three species matched an Australian species associated with eucalypts and acacias. All three species co-occurred locally in the same areas. In New Zealand, these species are associated only with Kunzea and Leptospermum growing in sites affected by geothermal activity (e.g., Whakarewarewa, Waimangu, Wairakei). This species complex has not been found in Pinus or Eucalyptus plantations (Chu-Chou & Grace 1983b).; Host(s): Kunzea ericoides var. microflora, Leptospermum scoparium.