Epithele is a small genus containing about six species. It resembles Corticium in microstructure, differing in the presence of fascicles. These are vertical columns of hyphae either loosely or densely compacted, which arise from the basal layer, traverse context and hymenium, and project for at least half their length. Composed of hyaline hyphae in Epithele and Mycobonia, they are brown in Veluticeps. Herein these bodies are termed fascicles to differentiate them from hyphal pegs. The latter develop from the subhymenium or upper part of the context, not from the basal layer, and are found in certain genera of the Polyporaceae, some species of Odontia of the Hydnaceae and Sebacina of the Tremellaceae.

Most species of Epithele and Mycobonia possess a monomitic hyphal system. In Epithele nikau the system is dimitic, skeletal hyphae forming the fascicles and basal layer. As in most species of the Corticeae, both basal and intermediate layers are present and well developed. Basidia of Epithele show some diversity in form; somewhat cucurbitiform in E. nikau, they are cylindrical with attenuated bases in E. fulva, subclavate in E. galzini and clavate in E. interrupta Bres. Spores are fusiform in E. typhae and E. interrupta, naviculate in E. nikau, elliptical in E. ochracea Bres., elliptical to subglobose in E. fulva and allantoid in E. galzini. Gloeocystidia are present in E. fulva.

The type species is usually regarded as E. dussii Pat. According to Hoehnel & Litschauer (Sitz. K. Akad. Wiss., Wien, 116, 750, 1907), who examined the type collection, this is a Peniophora of the radicate section, bearing naked cystidia enmeshed in hyphal sheaths, as in P. vermifera Bourd. To conserve the genus I have therefore selected as type, the second species discussed by Patouillard, E. typhae (Pers.) Pat.; for examination of an authentic specimen in Kew Herbarium showed this to be a valid Epithele

The record of the genus in Australia is based on Epithele glauca (Cke.) Wakef. ex Clel. (= Grandinia glauca Cke). On examination the type collection in Kew Herbarium was found to be a Heterochaete with the cruciate basidia of that genus.

^*] Epithele nikau sp. nov. Text-fig. 3

Hymenophorum annuum, membranaceum, adnatum, effusum., superficie alba deinde cremea, velutina, non rimosa. Contextus albus, 25-70μ crassus. Hypharum systema dimiticum; hyphae skeletales 3-3.5μ diam; lumine capillari, aseptatae; hyphae generatoriae 2-2.5μ diam. nodulosae. Basidia cucurbitaeformiora, 24-30 × 8-10μ. Fasciculi hypharum skeletalium ex strato infimo exorti, subulati, 150-205 × 30-50μ. Sporae clavato-naviculares, 12-16 × 5-6. 5μ, parietibus levibus, hyalinis.

Hymenophore annual, membranous, adnate, effused, forming irregular areas to 15 × 5 cm, with numerous irregularly orbicular outlying islands; surface white, becoming cream, velutinate under a lens, even, not creviced; margin thinning out, concolorous, adnate. Context white, 25-70μ thick, basal layer of parallel skeletal hyphae, occupying about half the context, intermediate layer

Text-Fig. 3.—Transverse section of Epithele nikau, X 500 Original.

scanty, of branched hyphae mainly ascending, and embedding masses of crystals which may be absent; skeletal hyphae 3-3.5μ diameter, lumen capillary, hyaline, scantily branched, aseptate; generative hyphae 2-2.5μ diameter, walls 0.25μ thick, hyaline, branched, septate, with clamp connexions. Hymenial layer to 30μ deep, a close palisade of basidia and paraphyses interrupted by the erumpent fascicles. Basidia at first cylindrical, becoming somewhat cucurbitiform with inflated bases, 24-30 × 8-10μ, 4-spored, projecting; sterigmata stout, arcuate, to 12μ long. Paraphyses subclavate or as often elliptical, to 20 × 10μ. Fascicles arising from the basal layer, projecting for the greater part of their length, 8-10 per mm, subulate with broad bases and bluntly acuminate or rounded apices, 150-205 × 30-50μ, composed of 50-110 skeletal hyphae sometimes tapering, where exposed coated with fine crystals and in old specimens often enmeshed in irregular hyphal sheaths Spores clavate-naviculate, apices bluntly rounded, bases apiculate, 12-16 × 5-6.5μ, walls smooth, hyaline, 0.2μ thick; often adhering in fours.

Distribution: New Zealand.

Habitat: Effused on dead pendent and fallen stipes.

Rhopalostylis sapida (Sol.) Wendl. & Drude. Auckland. Orewa, January, 1949, P. M. Ambler. Glen Esk Valley, Piha, May, 1951, April, 1953, J. M. Dingley. Cascades, Waitakeres, 600ft, April, 1954, S. D. Baker, type collection, P. D. D. Herbarium, No. 14244. Huia, January, 1955, J. M. Dingley.

Both the basal layer and fascicles are composed of skeletal hyphae. Fascicles are coated exteriorly with fine crystals, and as the hyphae are firmly compacted, simulate cystidia of the radicate section of Peniophora. The resemblance is enhanced in that fascicles of old specimens become enmeshed in hyphal sheaths. They are fascicles, nevertheless, since when mounted singly, crushed under a coverslip, and crystals removed, they are seen to be composed of numerous thickwalled skeletal hyphae, with many in the interior tapering gradually to their apices. Basidia are at first cylindrical, but as sterigmata elongate, they become somewhat cucurbitiform, with inflated bases. Spores are naviculate or clavatenaviculate. Their bases are attenuated and after spores are shed often collapse near the point of attachment and expand into a small bulb. Spores frequently adhere in pairs or fours following discharge from the basidia. In shape they resemble somewhat those of E. typhae and E. interrupta. The species appears to be confined to one host, sole representative of the family Palmeae in New Zealand. The specific name is taken from the Maori name of the host, nikau.

2 Epithele fulva sp. nov. Text-Fig. 4.

Hymenophorum annuum, membranaceum, adnatum, effusum; superficie primo alba deinde fulva, velutina, non rimosa. Contextus cremeus, ad 250μ crassus. Hypharum systema monomiticum; hyphae generatoriae 3-6μ diam., hyalinae, septatae, nodulosae. Basidia cylindricalia, basi attenuata, 25-35 × 6-8μ. Gloeocystidia cylindricalia, moniliformia, 60-110 × 5-6μ. Fasciculati hypharum generatoriarum ex strato infimo exorti, subulati, 200-500 × 30-100μ. Sporae late ellipticae vel obovatae, 10-12 × 5-7μ, parietibus levibus, hyalinis.

Hymenophore annual, membranous, adnate, effused forming irregular areas 5-15 × 1-5 cm; surface at first white, becoming pallid ochre, then fulvous, velutinate, not creviced; margin thinning out, arachnoid, concolorous, adnate. Context cream, to 250μ thick (excluding fascicles), basal layer composed of a few repent hyphae, intermediate layer well developed, of ascending hyphae somewhat loosely arranged, more freely branched beneath the hymenium, generative hyphae 3-6μ diameter, walls 0.5μ thick, hyaline, branched, septate, with clamp connexions. Hymenial layer to 30μ deep, a loose palisade of basidia and paraphyses interrupted by the fascicles. Basidia cylindrical with bases abruptly narrowed, 25-35 × 6-8μ, 4-spored; sterigmata arcuate, 6-8μ long. Paraphyses clavate, of the same diameter but shorter than the basidia. Gloeocystidia arising from the base of the hymenial layer when projecting, and in the context, cylindrical, moniliform, 60-110 × 5-6μ, scanty, staining blue. Fascicles arising from the basal layer and projecting for the greater part of their length, 5-20 per mm, subulate, 200-500μ long, 30-100μ diameter, formed from 10-100 hyphae compactly arranged, each tapering, aseptate, walls 1μ thick, naked or with occasional crystals. Spores commonly broadly elliptical or obovate, 10-12 × 5-7μ, or less frequently subglobose or globose, when 7-9μ diameter, walls smooth, hyaline, 0.5μ thick, staining deeply, copious.

Distribution: New Zealand.

Habitat: Effused usually on decorticated rotting wood, rarely on bark.

Beilschmiedia tawa (A. Cunn.) Hook. f. & Benth. Auckland. Claudelands Reserve, Hamilton, 200ft, November, 1946, G. H. C.

Fuchsia excorticata L.f. Westland. Waiho, 600ft, November, 1954, J. M. Dingley.

Nothofagus cliffortioides (Hook. f.) Oerst. Auckland Whakapapa, Mt. Ruapehu, 3,000ft, October, 1949, J. M. Dingley.

Nothopanax colensoi (Hook. f.) Seem. Taranaki. Mt. Egmont, 2,500ft, March, 1951, J. M. Dingley.

Schefflera digitata Forst. Taranaki. Dawson Falls, Mt. Egmont, 2,300ft, January, 1953, J. M. Dingley, type collection, P. D. D. herbarium, No. 14245. Westland. Waiho, 600ft, November, 1954, J. M. Dingley.

Weinmannia racemosa L.f. Westland. Lake Mapouriki, November, 1946, J. M. Dingley.

Fascicles may be scattered or so crowded that the surface appears strigose. They may be slender and composed of a few hyphae, or more often consist of numerous hyphae compacted into dense tufts. Hyphae of which they are constructed are modified generative hyphae. each tapering from base to apex, aseptate save near the base, and with walls thickened to 1μ.

Gloeocystidia may be scanty or relatively abundant. Commonly moniliform, sometimes strikingly so, they arise from hyphae of the intermediate layer and stain deeply with aniline blue. Tissues of the hymenial layer collapse as soon as spores are shed, consequently its structure can be ascertained only by examination of sections taken from the periphery of actively growing specimens. Spores are copiously produced so that in sections fascicles and the hymenial surface are seen to be coated with them. They vary appreciably in shape and size and walls stain deeply with aniline blue. Basidia are cylindrical with

Text-Fig. 4—Transverse section of Epithele fulva, X 500 Original

abruptly attenuated bases. The species favours decorticated much decayed branches lying upon the forest floor in moist localities.

9. Epithele galzini Bresadola, in Bourdot & Galzin, Bulletin de la Societe Mycologique de France, 27, 264, 1911. Text-fig. 5.

Hymenophore annual, membranous, adnate, forming orbicular or linear maculiform areas 2-15 mm across, sometimes fused to form linear areas to 12 cm long; surface white, velutinate, minutely areolately creviced; margin thinning out, concolorous, arachnoid, adnate. Context white, 10-30μ thick, basal layer of a few repent hyphae firmly cemented together, intermediate layer of mainly upright hyphae more freely branched beneath the hymenium, pseudoparenchymatous when old; generative hyphae 2.5-3μ diameter, walls 0.2μ thick, hyaline, branched, freely septate, with clamp connexions. Hymenial layer to 30μ deep, a close palisade of basidia and paraphyses interrupted by fascicles. Basidia subclavate. 12-18 × 5-6μ, 2-4-spored; sterigmata arcuate, slender, to 6μ long. Paraphyses similar to but narrower than the basidia. Fascicles arising from the basal layer and projecting for the greater part of their length, 8-10 per mm, cylindrical with penicillate apices, 90-130 × 12-25μ; composed of 20-40 thinwalled sparsely septate hyphae closely arranged, sometimes branched near their apices. Spores suballantoid, with bluntly acuminate bases, 7-9 × 3-3.5μ, walls smooth, hyaline, 0.2μ thick; often adhering in pairs or fours.

Text-Fig. 5.—Transverse section of Epithele galzini, X 500. Spores X 1000. Original.

Type Locality: Aveyron. France.

Distribution: France, New Zealand.

Habitat: Effused on stipes of tree-ferns and bracken.

Blechnum capense (L.) Schlecht. Auckland. Te Araroa, 600ft, May, 1952, G. H. C.

Blechnum filiforme (A. Cunn.) Ettingsh. Wellington. Lake Papaetonga, 50ft, September, 1953, G. H. C.

Cyathea dealbata (Forst. f.) Swartz. Auckland. Huia, January, 1955, J. M. Dingley. Wellington. Lake Papaetonga, 50ft, August, 1952, G. H. C.

Cyathea medullaris (Forst. f) Swartz Auckland. Lake Okataina, 1,400ft, May, 1952, G. H. C. Te Araroa, 650ft, May, 1952, G. H. C. Earthquake Flat, Rotorua, 1,500ft, June, 1952, G. H. C. Wellington. Pohangina Reserve, 200ft, December, 1952, G. H. C. Bruce's Reserve, Hunterville, 400ft, September, 1953, G. H. C. Lake Papaetonga, 50ft, September, 1953, G. H. C.

Dicksonia squarrosa (Forst. f.) Swartz. Auckland. Camel's Back, Coromandel Peninsula, October, 1954, J. M. Dingley. Wellington. Pohangina Reserve, 200ft, September, 1953, G. H. C.

Hemitelia smithii Hook. Wellington. Blyth Track, Ohakune, 2,500ft, January, 1954, S. D. Baker. Otago. Horse Shoe Bay, Stewart Island, February, 1954, J. M. Dingley.

Pteridium esculentum (Col.) Ckn. Auckland. Earthquake Flat, Rotorua, 1,500ft, June, 1952, G. H. C.

Fascicles are delicate, readily fractured, cylindrical with penicillate apices, and composed of compact, thin-walled generative hyphae sometimes sparsely branched near their apices. Spores are suballantoid with acuminate bases, and frequently adhere in pairs or fours. In actively growing specimens the context is composed of the usual two tissues; shortly tissues become compacted, and pseudoparenchymatous so that details of structure can be ascertained only near the growing periphery.

New Zealand collections agree with a specimen examined in Kew herbarium ex “Aveyron, France, herb. Bourdot, No. 8053” The species is apparently confined to dead stipes of ferns both in France and New Zealand, in the latter region being associated with Corticium filicinum Bourd., C. confusum Bourd & Galz., and Peniophora vermicularis Wakef.

10. Mycobonia Patouillard, Bulletin de la Societe Mycologique de France, 10, 77, 1894.

Bonia Pat., Bull. Soc. Myc. Fr., 8, 48, 1892, non Balansa.

Grandinioides Banker, Mem. Torrey Bot. Club, 12, 179, 1906.

Hymenophore pileate, annual or perennial, membranous or coriaceous, applanate or disciform. Context composed of a basal layer of parallel hyphae and an intermediate layer of ascending compacted hyphae; hyphal system monomitic (always?), generative hyphae hyaline, branched, septate, with clamp connexions. Hymenial layer a palisade of basidia and paraphyses pierced by the projecting fascicles. Basidia subclavate, 4-spored. Fascicles arising from the basal layer, traversing the context and projecting, composed of hyaline hyphae. Spores variously shaped, smooth, hyaline.

Type Species: Mycobonia flava (Swartz ex Berk.) Pat. (= Hydnum flavum (Swartz) Berk.).

Distribution: North and South America, West Indies, Borneo (?), New Zealand.

Bonia Pat. was erected upon the type B. papyrina Pat., and under it Patouillard suggested Hydnum flavum (Swartz) Berk, should be placed. As it was preoccupied, Patouillard created Mycobonia with Hydnum flavum as type species.

The genus contains about three, or possibly four species, the sole New Zealand representative being endemic, growing upon an endemic host. Species resemble those of Epithele in possessing hyaline fascicles, but differ in that fructifications are pileate. In M. flava (Swartz) Pat. and M. winkleri Bres. fructifications are large and conchate or flabelliform, whereas in M. disciformis they are minute and disciform. Fascicles in M. flava arise from the basal layer, and form a parallel series, as in Epithele; but in M. disciformis develop from near the point of attachment and extend radiately through context and hymenium.

1. Mycobonia disciformis sp. nov. Text-fig. 6

Hymenophorum disciforme vel pezizaeforme, solitarium vel in 3-5 congregatum, annuum, membranaceum, 1-6 mm diam, extra tomentosum, superficie hymenii cremea vel pallide sulphurea, velutina, non rimosa. Contextus 300-800μ crassus, albus. Hypharum systema monomiticum; hyphae generatoriae 2-2 5μ diam., hyalinae, septatae, nodulosae. Basidia subclavata, 40-56 × 7-9μ Fasciculi hypharum generatoriarum crystallis congregatis inclusis, ex strato infimo exorti, aculeati, 150-900 × 16-30μ. Sporae oblongae, obovatae vel subglobosae, 7-13 × 6-8μ, parietibus levibus, hyalinis.

Hymenophore disciform or pezizaeform, solitary or in small groups of 3-5, attached by a small central base, annual, membranous, 1-6 mm diameter, orbicular or irregularly so, exterior dark brown, or fuscus, densely tomentose

Text-Fig. 6—Mycobonia disciformis (a) Habit sketches of fructifications, X 15. (b) Spores, showing range in shapes, X 500. (c) Transverse section of the hymenium, X 500. Original.