Inonotus albertinii is a distinctive ectomycorrhizal species, easy to identify in the field. Distribution is limited to riverine habitats undergoing rapid change. Many of these habitats have been cleared and poached by farm and feral animals, and have experienced nutrient enrichment.
There have only ever been 10 functional individuals found from 6 different sites. Using the Dahlberg & Mueller (2011) methodology we estimate that, allowing for previously known and as yet undiscovered sites, there might be up to 24 sites and a population of up to 100 mature individuals.
But, it appears that the population for this species is very fragmented. We consider that there are two subpopulations separated by 1000 kms of possibly unsuitable (farmed or too dry) habitat and this reflected in the historical records.
This species is assessed as “endangered” on the basis of criteria B2a with only 6 known sites and a potential of 24 sites in an endangered ecosystem and D1 on account of the a very small estimated population of less than 100 mature individuals.
We have made our assessments on the basis of records made in the last 50 years. Calculating the area of occupancy (AOO) poses a problem in this species if it is limited to seasonally flooded river banks. Such habitats are themselves endangered in Queensland (Regional Ecosystem Globe)

TAXONOMIC NOTES:
Inonotus albertinii (Lloyd) Buchanan P K & Ryvarden 1988
Phaeolus albertinii (Lloyd) Reid, comb.nov.(Fig. I 15, p. 2 72).
Polyporus albertinii Lloyd in ‘Synopsis of the stipitate polyporoids’: 160, fig. 460 (I g 12) in Mycological Writings 3.
Sporophores up to 12 cm. high, normally with a central stalk, and appearing turbinate in longitudinal section. Pileus 70-170 mm. in diam., varying from irregular to more or less circular in outline. The surface has a very variable texture, formed of a rather coarse felty tomentum which may become weathered and flattened. The
surface is often very irregularly pitted and ridged, and nearer the
margin may be ornamented with coarse, radiating, adpressed, spiculose processes. Stem 20-50 mm. thick at the base, but expanding gradually into the pileus. The stipe is often ill defined since the tubes are strongly decurrent and frequently descend almost to soil level. Pores 1.5-3 per mm. angular.
Context ferruginous, soft and spongy. Hyphal structure monomitic.
Spores 7-9 × 4-5 (-5.5) µm, brown, with distinct walls; spore print
brown. The spores are elliptical in shape but they sometimes appear slightly depressed on the inner surface.
Habitat: on the ground, usually arising from the living root of a Eucalyptus sp. (bloodwood group).

Inonotus albertinii is a distinctive weakly parasitic species. Distribution appears to be limited to riverine habitats. Many of these habitats have been cleared and poached by farm and feral animals, and have experienced nutrient enrichment.
There have only ever been 10 functional individuals found from 6 different sites. Using the Dahlberg & Mueller (2011) methodology we estimate that, allowing for previously known and as yet undiscovered sites, there might be up to 24 sites and a population of up to 250 mature individuals.
But, it appears that the population for this species is very fragmented. We consider that there are two subpopulations separated by 1000 kms of possibly unsuitable (farmed or too dry) habitat and this reflected in the historical records.
This species is assessed as “endangered” on the basis of criteria B2a & b with only 6 known sites and a potential of 24 sites in an endangered ecosystem which is in decline and D1 on account of the a very small estimated population of less than 250 mature individuals.
We have made our assessments on the basis of records made in the last 50 years. Calculating the area of occupancy (AOO) poses a problem in this species if it is limited to seasonally flooded river banks. Such habitats are themselves endangered in Queensland (Regional Ecosystem Globe)

Inonotus albertinii is only known from Queensland and northern New South Wales in Australia.

Inonotus albertinii is only known from Australia. The sites where it has been found are either coastal and or creek/riversides, where it is growing on the roots of mature trees and possibly linked to regularly inundated sites. Originally described from the Endeavour River north of Cooktown a century ago, there are 3 further collections from more than 50 years ago and 5 collections in the last 25 years.  No trends can be detected from this sparse data, but there have been no further collections from the four original collection sites. The habitat associated with this species has been in sharp decline due to land clearing and poaching by livestock and feral animals.

Inonotus albertinii is a fungus forming ectomycorrhiza with on roots of Corymbia and Eucalyptus (E. tereticornis, E. siderophloia, E. fastiagata) and possibly associated with creek side locations that flood occasionally. It has been suggested to be a parasite which fruits on mature trees when they start to die.

It is vulnerable to urbanisation, fire events, cyclones and other climate change events. There have been major clearances of native forests in Queensland and New South Wales over the last decade. Littoral habitats on farms are vulnerable to land clearing and poaching where cattle grazing extends to creek edges and the composition of riverside vegetation has changed over the past century with both nutrient enrichment and weed species changing the vegetation mix. The recent arrival of Myrtle rust in Australia may also endanger the survival of the host tree species.

No fungi are protected in Queensland, all have been listed as ‘Least Concern’ by the state authorities despite the fact that no assessments have been made. Threat listing would provide an important first step to conservation action.
.

.Work is needed to clarify the biology of this fungus including its host and habitat preferences and fruiting patterns.

Buchanan P K & Ryvarden, Mycotaxon 31: 12 (1988)
Cunningham G. H. (1965) The Polyporaceae of New Zealand. DSIR Bulletin 164: 199 (as Inonotus hispidans)
Dahlberg A. and Mueller G.M. (2011) Applying IUCN red-listing criteria for assessing and reporting on the conservation status of fungal species. Fungal Ecology 4: 147-162.
Hood I. (2003) An introduction to Fungi on Wood in Queensland.  University of         New England. (as Coltricia albertinii)
Keane P.J. et al. (2000) Diseases and Pathogens of Eucalypts. CSIRO
Min-Woong Lee (2008) Introduction to Distribution and Ecology of Sterile Conks of Inonotus obliquus.Micobiology 36(4): 199-202.
Reid D A (1963) Kew Bull. Vol 17 p. 277 (as Phaeolusalbertini)
Ryvarden L. (2005) The Genus Inonotus. Synopsis Fungorum 21.Fungiflora
http://www.dat.qld.gov.au/dataset/queensland-globe