Descolea archeureta is an endemic species restricted to southern Chile Nothofagaceae dominated forest ecosystems. The species has been reported, with 9 records from the regions of Biobio, Araucanía and Magallanes (Halling 1981, Kuhar et al. 2017). The species is an obligate ectomycorrhizal fungus with Nothofagaceae and the loss of its mycorrhizal hosts directly impacts its size population. Although this species has a wide distribution in Chile it appears to be a rare species that is restricted to undisturbed, mature forest. The main known threat is habitat (area and quality) loss. It is assumed that Nothofagaceae forest have had a reduction on its coverage between 1973 to 2010 of 45% (Miranda et al. 2017) and it is continuing nowadays. Anthropogenic pressure on Nothofagaceae forests and habitat degradation is mainly due to deforestation due to land use change to replace them with exotic tree plantation. Forest fires in Chile have increased in intensity and frequency in recent years with forest loss reported by global forest watch of 1.95Mha between 2001 and 2022, this area includes many natural Nothofagaceae forest specially from the Biobio and Araucania. Giving this trend we suspected that D. archeureta has undergone at least a similar rapid population decline in the past resulting in a population reduction higher than 50% in the last 50 years (generation length) as well. Based on this observation of loss of habitat and habitat quality Descolea archeureta is assessed as Endengered (A2c).

The basionym for this species is Thaxterogaster archeuretus Halling (Halling 1981). This species has also been considered under the name Cortinarius archeuretus (Halling) Peintner & M.M. Moser (from Peintner et al. Mycotaxon 81: 178. 2002).

Descolea archeureta is an endemic species restricted to southern Chile Nothofagaceae dominated forest ecosystems. The species is an obligate ectomycorrhizal fungus with Nothofagaceae and a loss of its mycorrhizal hosts directly impacts Descolea archeureta. Although this species has a wide distribution in Chile it appears to be a rare, being restricted to undisturbed, mature forest.

Descolea archeureta is an ectomycorrhizal fungus associated with Nothofagaceae species in southern Chile. The species has been reported, with 9 records from the regions of Biobio, Araucanía and Magallanes (Halling 1981, Kuhar et al. 2017).

Descolea archeureta is an endemic species restricted to southern Chile Nothofagaceae dominated forest ecosystems. The species is an obligate ectomycorrhizal fungus with Nothofagaceae and a loss of its mycorrhizal hosts directly impacts Descolea archeureta. Although this species has a wide distribution in Chile, been reported in Chile, in the regions of Biobio, Araucanía and Magallanes (Halling 1981, Kuhar et al. 2017), it appears to be rare, being restricted to undisturbed, mature forest. Only nine collections of this species from three sites have been done even after long term collection efforts since 2008. The holotype was collected in 1906 (kept at Farlow Herbarium) and since them there only other eight from 2016 collected kept at University of Florida Herbarium (FLAS). No additional collections were found at other herbaria (FH, LPS, BAFC, CORD and NY).
A considerable decline of size population of this fungal species is suspected due to extensive past area and quality habitat loss, that resulted in significant decline in its mycorrhizal hosts in Chile. Further pressure and population reductions are expected to continue. It is assumed that Nothofagaceae forest have had a reduction on its coverage between 1973 to 2010 of 45% (Miranda et al. 2017) and since this trend hasn’t changed it is considered that a reduction of more than 50% takes place in 2020. Giving this trend we suspected that D. archeureta has undergone at least a similar rapid population decline in the past resulting in a population reduction higher than 50% in the last 50 years (generation length) as well.

Descolea archeureta is a hypogeous endemic species restricted to southern Chile Nothofagaceae dominated forest ecosystems (Halling 1981, Kuhar et al. 2017). The species is obligatorily ectomycorrhizal with Nothofagaceae, found in organic soils in mature and undisturbed forests. It is gregarious and considered a rare species at the sites where it has been reported.

The main known threat to Descolea archeureta is habitat loss and fragmentation due to deforestation resulting in population decline of Nothofagaceae. It is assumed that Nothofagaceae forest have had a reduction on its coverage between 1973 to 2010 of 45% (Miranda et al. 2017) and it is continuing nowadays. Anthropogenic pressure on Nothofagaceae forests and habitat degradation is mainly due to deforestation due to land use change to replace them with exotic tree plantation (Pinus spp. and Eucalyptus). Forest fires in Chile have increased in intensity and frequency in recent years with forest loss reported by global forest watch of 1.95Mha between 2001 and 2022, this area includes many natural Nothofagaceae forest specially from the Biobio and Araucania.

Habitat protection and enhanced forest management are needed in Chile. Nothofagaceae populations in Chile are large unprotected and susceptible to deforestation or degradation due to plantation of exotic species and fire. Due to its potential association with mature forest, all conservation actions should be focused on conservation of intact habitats. Due to a higher number of natural reserves conserving remaining of natural areas, there is a lower threat level for the species in Magallanes compared with Araucania and Biobio.

Research is needed to evaluate population trends and further document distribution. Molecular analyses are needed for phylogenetic inference and to provide identified sequences to enable identification of environmental samples required for molecular based ecology studies.

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Halling, R. E. (1981). Thaxter’s Thaxterogasters and other Chilean hypogeous fungi. Mycologia, 73(5), 853-868.

Kuhar, F., Smith, M. E., Mujic, A., Truong, C., & Nouhra, E. (2017). A systematic overview of Descolea (Agaricales) in the Nothofagaceae forests of Patagonia. Fungal biology, 121(10), 876-889.

Peintner, U., Moser, M., & Vilgalys, R. (2002). Thaxterogaster is a taxonomic synonym of Cortinarius: new combinations and new names. Mycotaxon, 81, 177-184.

Miranda, A., Altamirano, A., Cayuela, L 2016. Native forest loss in the Chilean biodiversity hotspot: revealing the evidence