This characteristic species belongs in Schizopora Velen. emend. Donk and is readily separated from the widespread S. paradoxa (Schrad.: Fr.) Donk by its cylindrical to suballantoid spores and distinctly monomitic hyphal system. Otherwise, the two species have in common hyaline cystidioles, bulbous hyphal ends, clamped, Hyphodontia-like hyphae, and coarse encrustation of hyphae in the dissepiments. Spores of S. nothofagi measure 6-8(-10) x 2-3 µm, which is larger than the measurements given by Cunningham (1965) of 5-6.5 x 1.5-2 µm.

Holotype: PDD 5275 - New Zealand, Taupo, Mt Tongariro, Waihohonu River, Jan. 1947, J.D. Atkinson, on Nothofagus solandri (Hook. f.) Oerst. var. cliffortioides (Hook. f.) Poole.

FAGACEAE. Nothofagus cliffortioides: Wellington, Waihohonu River, Mt. Tongariro, 1,200 m, type collection, P.D.D. herbarium, No. 5275; Oturere River, Mt. Tongariro, 1,350 m; Pangarara River, Mt. Tongariro, 1,000 m; Kaimanawa Ranges, 950 m; Mangatorutoru Stream, Mt. Ruapehu, 1,200 m; Whakapapa, Mt. Ruapehu, 1,100 m; Silica Springs Track, Mt. Ruapehu, 1,100m. Otago, Lake Manapouri, 160m. Nothofagus menziesii: Hawke's Bay, Upper Homestead, Poronui, 700 m. Wellington, Mt. Hauhangatahi, 700 m. Otago, McLennan, Catlins.

Hymenophore annual, adherent, membranous, fragile, effused forming linear areas 5-11 x 1-4 cm, sometimes extending to 1 metre, 1-3 mm thick. Hymenial surface chalk white when fresh, drying cream or honey yellow, or in parts pallid ochre, even, often creviced deeply; margin adherent, thinning out, irregular, to 1 mm wide, finely fibrillose, cream. Pores not in strata, irregular, orbicular, oval, angular, elliptical or labyrinthiform when slightly irpiciform, 1-4 per mm, 0.2-1.5 mm diameter, to 1.5 mm deep, white or cream; dissepiments fragile, 150-500 µm thick, irregular, edges bearing free capitate paraphysate hyphae naked or encrusted with fine crystals. Context white or cream, 0.1-1 mm thick, of intertwined hyphae encrusted with fine crystals; generative hyphae 2.5-3 µm diameter, 0.25 µm thick, branched, septate, with abundant clamp connections. Hymenial layer to 20 µm deep, a dense palisade of basidia, paraphyses, and capitate paraphysate hyphae. Basidia subclavate, 12-14 x 3-4 µm, bearing 4 spores; sterigmata erect, to 6 µm long, commonly about 4 µm. Paraphyses subclavate, 8-12 x 3-3.5 µm. Paraphysate hyphae projecting to 20 µm, apices capitate, to 6 µm diameter, naked or bearing acecular crystals. Spores mostly cylindrical, some suballantoid, apiculate, 5-6.5 x 1.5-2 µm walls smooth, hyaline, 0.1 µm thick.

DISTRIBUTION: New Zealand.

HABITAT: Bark and decorticated wood of standing dead saplings, fallen branches.and trunks, associated with a white rot.

Formerly described under the name of Poria favicans (Karst.) G. H. Cunn. (Cunningham 1947b, p. 10), the species has since been found to differ from this by its monomitic hyphal system, absence of encrusted metuloids, much larger pores and fragile cretaceous context. From related species of the section the plant differs in the capitate, often encrusted paraphysate hyphae, which resemble those of Poria versipora, and are abundant in the apices of dissepiments, cylindrical or irregularly suballantoid spores, often labyrinthiform pores, fragile hymenophore and restricted host range. When fresh plants are chalk white but when dry change to some shade of yellow or ochre.

TYPE: Nothofagus cliffortioides: Wellington, Waihohonu River, Mt. Tongariro, 1,200 m, type collection, P.D.D. herbarium, No. 5275

CULTURES STUDIED: New Zealand, South Island, North Canterbury, Arthur's Pass National Park, Old Coach Rd, on fallen branch of Nothofagus solandri var. cliffortioides, M. Rajchenberg 10054, 5.V.89, BAFC/cc 521; ibid., M. Rajchenberg 10057. (Basidiomes at BAFC.)

MACROSCOPIC CHARACTERS (Fig. 7): Growth very slow, 4.1-4.5 cm in 6 weeks. Margin regular and subfelty. Mat poorly developed, pale cream, homogeneously subfelty or pubescent with slightly raised mycelium. Around the inoculum denser, white, and with inconspicuous radial stripes. Reverse bleaching. Odour none.
OXIDASE REACTIONS: gallic acid: +++, 0 cm; tannic acid: +, 0 cm; tyrosinase: +++, 0 cm
MICROSCOPIC CHARACTERS (Fig. 8): Generative hyphae with hemispheric clamps, hyaline, slightly thickened walls, 3-5 µm diam., branched, also with short digitiform lateral branches 1-1.2 µm diam. Drepanocysts present from the 4th week onwards. Allocysts are formed in the mat around the inoculum.
SEXUALITY: Tetrapolar. Ten single spore cultures were confronted with each other and were distributed as follows: BAFC 521: A₁B₁: 1, 4, 8, 10; A₂B₂: 9; A₁B₂: 2, 6; A₂B₂: 3, 5, 7; MR 10057: A₁B₁: 1, 10; A₂B₂: 9, 8; A₁B₂: 3, 5, 7; A₂B₁: 6, 11
NUCLEAR BEHAVIOUR: Normal.
CODE: 2.3c.7.26.31 b.32.36.40.47.54.60.61

REMARKS: The formation of drepanocysts in culture stresses once again the close relationship between the polyporoid Schizopora and the corticioid Hyphodontia . Erikss. (Donk 1967; Hassan Kassim & David 1983; Eriksson et al. 1984; Gilbertson & Ryvarden 1987).