Joan Marjorie Dingley was one of the pioneer women of New Zealand science. She worked for the DSIR Plant Diseases Division from 1941 to 1976, becoming the head of mycology. She was a major research scientist in New Zealand for both laboratory and field-based plant pathology, and for taxonomic mycology.
Gordon Herriot Cunningham, CBE, FRS was the first New Zealand–based mycologist and plant pathologist. In 1936 he was appointed the first director of the DSIR Plant Diseases Division. Cunningham established the New Zealand Fungal Herbarium, and he published extensively on taxonomy of many fungal groups. He is regarded as the 'Father' of New Zealand mycology.
Landcare Research is a New Zealand Crown Research Institute whose focus of research is the environment, biodiversity, and sustainability.
Psilocybe aucklandiae is a species of agaric fungus in the family Hymenogastraceae. The species is known from the Auckland Region of New Zealand, where it grows from clay soils in exotic pine plantations and native forests. It is phylogenetically similar to or almost the same as Psilocybe zapotecorum from Mexico and South America. As a blueing member of the genus Psilocybe it contains the psychoactive compounds psilocin and psilocybin.
Psilocybe subaeruginosa is a species of agaric fungus in the family Hymenogastraceae described in 1927 and known from Australia and New Zealand. As a blueing member of the genus Psilocybe it contains the psychoactive compounds psilocin and psilocybin.
Entoloma hochstetteri, also known as the blue pinkgill, sky-blue mushroom or similar names, is a species of mushroom that is endemic to New Zealand. The small mushroom is a distinctive all-blue colour, while the gills have a slight reddish tint from the spores. The blue colouring of the fruit body is due to azulene pigments. Whether Entoloma hochstetteri is poisonous or not is unknown.
Armillaria limonea is a species of mushroom in the family Physalacriaceae. This plant pathogen species is one of four Armillaria species that have been identified in Aotearoa New Zealand the others are A. novae-zelandiae,A. hinnulea, A. aotearoa).
Psilocybe tasmaniana is a species of coprophilous agaric fungus in the family Hymenogastraceae. It was described by Gastón Guzmán and Roy Watling in 1978 as a small tawny orange mushroom that grows on dung, with a slight blueing reaction to damage, known only from Tasmania and southeastern Australia. It was likened to Psilocybe subaeruginosa although characteristics, appearance, and the association with dung were not typical for that species. As a blueing member of the genus Psilocybe it contains the psychoactive compounds psilocin and psilocybin.
Greta Barbara Stevenson was a New Zealand botanist and mycologist. She described many new species of Agaricales.
Mycena cystidiosa is a species of mushroom in the family Mycenaceae. Described as new to science in 1964, it is known only from New Zealand and Australia. The fruit bodies have a broadly conical small white cap up to 12 mm (0.5 in) wide, with distantly spaced cream-coloured gills on the underside. The stipe is particularly long, up to 20 cm (8 in), with an abundant covering of white hairs at the base. The species is known for its abundant rhizomorphs—long, root-like extensions of mycelia.
Ruth Mason was a New Zealand botanist specialising in the taxonomy and ecology of freshwater plants. She was employed at the Department of Scientific and Industrial Research for 35 years undertaking research into aquatic plants, pioneering new techniques for plant preservation and collecting over 13,000 plant specimens in the field. She was awarded life membership by the New Zealand Ecological Society.
Elatostema rugosum is an herbaceous dicot that is considered to be a groundcover. It is commonly called parataniwha, paratāniwhaniwha, New Zealand begonia, and begonia fern. It tends to grow in large masses. Although it has hairs and is in the nettle family, it does not possess any stinging hairs.
The International Collection of Microorganisms from Plants (ICMP) is a major international culture collection of live bacteria, fungi, and chromists based in Auckland, New Zealand.
The New Zealand Nationally Significant Collections and Databases (NSCDs) are government-funded biological and physical collections or databases that are considered important and significant to New Zealand.
Riria Smith was a master in traditional Māori weaving from Northland in New Zealand. She was affiliated to the iwi Ngāti Kurī and the hapū Pohutiare of Te Aupōuri.
Dr Teresa Lebel is a taxonomist and ecologist who works on fungi, with a particular interest in subterranean truffle-like fungi and their mushroom, bolete, bracket or cup relatives.
Clavogaster virescens is a species of secotioid or pouch-like fungus in the family Strophariaceae. It is endemic and indigenous to New Zealand, where it grows on rotting wood in native bush and mixed native and introduced forests. It has a stout yellowish stem, and a powder blue, purplish or greenish blue cap that forms a pouch, often referred to as a peridium, enclosing reddish brown or orange chambered gleba. The species is sometimes known as the "Spindle Pouch".
Mycena roseoflava is a species of agaric mushroom in the family Mycenaceae. It was first discovered in 1964 by New Zealand mycologist Greta Stevenson. It is a wood-inhabiting mushroom native to New Zealand.
Boletus leptospermi is a fungal species in the family Boletaceae.
Pluteus microspermus is a saprotrophic, mushroom-like (agaricoid) fungi in the Section Pluteus. It is often confused with Pluteus concentricus, a species endemic to New Zealand because P. concentricus also has concentric ridges on its cap (pileus). P. microspermus and P. concentricus can be differentiated by microscopy as the spores are different sizes. P. concentricus also has rougher material on its stipe.
