Hymenophore terrestrial, annual, pileate, carbonous, brittle when dry. Pilei centrally stipitate, orbicular, 2-3 cm diameter; pileus surface black, even, polished; margin inturned, thin, even, concolorous; hymenial surface black, rough with spines. Stem equal, flattened, 2-2.5 x 0.8-1.2 cm, glabrous, black. Spines subulate, terete, crowded, 1-3 x 0.1-0.15 mm, black, fragile. Context 0.2-0.5 mm thick, black, shining, composed of parallel hyphae rather loosely arranged embedding masses of black gelatinous granules; generative hyphae 4-8 µ diameter, walls 0.2 µ thick, tinted brown, branched freely, septate, sometimes inflated between septa, with clamp connexions. Hymenial layer to 50 µ deep, a dense palisade of basidia and paraphyses. Basidia clavate, 36-45 x 8-12 µ, 2-4-spored; sterigmata arcuate, stout, to 8 µ long. Paraphyses clavate, 16-22 x 4-6 µ. Spores globose or broadly elliptical, 7-9 µ diameter, or 8-10 x 7-9 µ, walls coarsely irregularly tuberculate, sinuate, pallid ferruginous, 0.2 µ thick.

DISTRIBUTION: New Zealand.

HABITAT: Solitary in humus under Dacrydium cupressinum.

Hymenophorum terrestre, carbonaceum, fragile. Pilei stirpibus mediis, orbiculati, 2-3 cm diam., superficies nigra, nitida. Stirpes aequae, planae, 2-2.5 x 0.8-1.2 cm. Spinae subulatae, teretes, 1-3 mm longae. Contextus niger, brunnearum hypharum generatoriarum 5-8 µ diam., nodulosarum. Basidia clavata, 36-45 x 8-12 µ, 2-4-sporis globosis vel late ellipticis, 8-10 x 7-9 µ, parietibus crasse inaequaliter tuberculatis, sinuatis, pallide ferrugineis.

Plants appear as if constructed from charcoal, being carbonous and fragile. Colour is derived from masses of black mucilage granules embedded among hyphae of the tissues, hyphae being lightly tinted brown. Spores are either globose or broadly elliptical, with brown walls which are coarsely irregularly tuberculate and sinuate. In colour and general appearance the species resembles Phellodon niger (Fr.) Karst.; it differs mainly in the spore characters, those of P. niger resembling spores of P. sinclairii. Plants possess a faint odour of aniseed, scarcely noticeable save when the herbarium package is first opened.

Otago: Half Moon Bay, Stewart Island, February 1954, J.M.Dingley, type collection, P.D.D. herbarium, No. 17707.

Under (1) Dacrydium cupressinum, Otago: Stewart Island, Half Moon Bay, ii. 1954, J. M. Dingley (HOLOTYPE, PDD 17707); (2) D. cupressinum and Metrosideros robusta, Auckland: Waitakere Ranges, Walker's Bush, 30.vi.1965, J. M. D. and R.F.R. McN., 24599; (3) Unknown native trees, Auckland: Whatawhata, 16.ix.l969, E. P. White F485.

Fructifications fleshy, stipitate and pileate. Pileus 2-7.5 cm diam., dry, strongly convex when young, becoming plano-convex or applanate, finely subtomentose to felted when young, centrally glabrous, subglabrous or minutely tuberculate with finely felted margins at maturity, sooty black in centre, paling to dark brownish black at margins, occasionally with faint purplish tints; margins strongly involute when young, acute, entire, reflexed when over-mature. Hymenial surface dull brown, sterile margin absent; spines non-decurrent, absent from a zone around apex of stipe, to 12 mm long, to 1.5 mm diam. basally, crowded, subulate, dark greyish brown basally with faint magenta tints near stipe, often paling to fawn apically, readily detached. Stipe central, 2-6.5 cm long, basally expanded when young, more or less equal at maturity, 0.8-1.2 cm diam., solid, dry, finely felted, dark brownish black with faint magenta tints when young, paling apically at maturity but magenta tints still present; flesh brownish with magenta tints, blackening at maturity. Context fleshy, soft, to 1.3 cm thick, brownish with magenta tints which intensify on prolonged exposure to air, blackening at maturity, azonate, monomitic. Hyphae thin-walled, inflating, 2.5-15 µm diam., often short-celled, clamp connections present, dark granules embedded among hyphae; superficial hyphae in young fructifications slightly interwoven but mainly ascending, more or less repent in old, 2.5-12 µm diam., hyphae in spines similar. Basidia proliferating through basal clamp connections, clavate, 37-51 x 8.5-12 µm, 4-spored, sterigmata to 7.5 µm long; cystidia absent. Spores irregular in outline, irregularly and coarsely tuberculate, yellowish brown, 8.2-9-(9.8) x 7-8.2 µm. Taste short lived, bitter. Smell faintly of aniseed.

TYPE LOCALITY: Half Moon Bay, Stewart Island, New Zealand.

Solitary or in small groups under native trees.

Cunningham, Trans. R. Soc. N.Z, 85: 589, fig. 2, 2a. pl. 40, fig. 2. 1958.