On bark and twigs. Winton (230).

Sparsa, sessilis, pallida, villosa, 1-3 mm. diam. Cupulis excavatis, margine incurvo. Spores ellipticis, infra apiculatis (.02-024 x .015 mm.).

The dense flexuous hairs are about three to four-tenths of a millemetre long. A most distinct and notable species. I am indebted to my friend, Mr. W. Phillips, of Shrewsbury, for assistance in the examination of this and many of the Discomycetes.

Leucopogon fasciculatus (Forst. f.) A. Rich. Wellington: York Bay, 300ft, August, 1922, G.H.C. Metrosideros umbellata Cav. Auckland: Nihotupu, Waitakeres, 700ft, May, 1946, J.M. Dingley. Westland: Waiho, 600ft, November, 1954, J.M. Dingley.

Hymenophore annual, ceraceous, pezizoid, attached by a narrow base with margins free, scattered when 2-7 mm diameter, sometimes confluent into small groups of 2-4; exterior surface at first white, then tan or isabelline, tomentose, soon smooth, save at margins; margin raised slightly, upright or inturned, acute, entire; hymenial surface flesh-pink or salmon, farinose, dimpled or slightly rugulose. Context white, becoming flesh-pink, to 0.5 mm thick, of radiately arranged densely compacted hyphae, convoluted and partly cemented towards the base; generative hyphae 4-6 µ diameter, walls 1-2 µ thick, hyaline, branched, septate, with clamp connexions; tomentum near the hymenial surface composed of cylindrical acanthophyses covered throughout with blunt spines, remainder of branched hyphae naked or bearing a few coarse spines. Hymenial layer to 180 µ deep, a close palisade of basidia, paraphyses, acanthophyses and gloeocystidia. Basidia subclavate, projecting slightly, 60-150 x 20-24 µ, 4-spored; sterigmata arcuate, subulate, to 20 µ long. Paraphyses subclavate, to 70 x 8 µ. Acanthophyses arising in the base of the subhymenium, not projecting, cylindrical, to 6 µ diameter, bearing upon the upper third closely arranged blunt spines, naked below, occasionally branched near the apices when branches alone bear spines. Gloeocystidia abundant, arising in the upper layers of the context, penetrating the hymenium to different levels, flexuous-cylindrical, 60-150 x 10-14 µ, walls 0.5 µ thick. Spores obovate, citriform or D-shaped, with one or two apiculi, 24-30 x 15-20 µ, walls coarsely aculeate, hyaline, 0.5-1.5 µ thick, amyloid.

TYPE LOCALITY. Winton, Otago, New Zealand.
DISTRIBUTION. New Zealand.

HABITAT. Scattered on bark of dead branches.

Fructifications show a close resemblance to those of A. ochraceo-flavus, for in both species pilei are pezizoid, orbicular and attached by a narrow base. A. zealandicus differs mainly in the more simple type of tomentum, acanthophyses which are covered with short spines only upon the upper third, abundant gloeocystidia forming the bulk of the hymenium, larger differently shaped aculeate spores, and different host range. Collections listed match the type of Cyphella zealandica in Kew herbarium, ex "Winton, N.Z., No. 230, Dr. S. Berggren".

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