FAGACEAE. Nothofagus fusca: Auckland, Lake Waikaremoana, 600m.

Hymenophore annual, adherent, mucedinioid-membranous, effused forming linear areas to 11 x 3 cm; hymenial surface cream, even or as often somewhat tufted, at length irregularly creviced; margin thinning out, arachnoid, white, adherent. Context white, of several repent hyphae 7-8 (10) µm diameter, branched at a wide angle, walls 0.5 µm thick, without clamp connections; fertile hyphae erect, bearing clusters of basidia and paraphyses. Basidia clavate, 20-26 x 10-14 µm, bearing 2-4 spores on stout sterigmata to 14 µm long. Paraphyses clavate or obpyriform, 10-15 x 5-7 µm. Spores ovate, oval, elliptical with lateral apiculi, sometimes limoniform with one or two apiculi, 11-13 x 7-8 µm, walls smooth, hyaline, 0.5 µm thick.

DISTRIBUTION: Europe, North America, New Zealand.

Habitat: Effused on bark of dead branches.

According to Rogers (1943) spores germinate by repetition. The species may be identified by absence of clamp connections, basidia bearing two or four spores on long stout sterigmata, and apiculate or biapiculate, irregularly oval, ovate, or elliptical spores. The following species resembles P. flavescens closely, differing in the smaller spores, subclavate paraphyses, and in being a plant parasite.

TYPE LOCALITY: Europe.