Assessment Notes

Justification

This species is known only from two collections from the southern Brazilian Atlantic Forest: its type locality, collected in 1896, and a further collection from the same general area made 85 years ago. Despite the lack of data to infer its potential occurrence range, it is possible that the species is rare and restricted to the southern Brazilian Atlantic Forest, as the region is well sampled. The species’ apparent rarity, lack of distribution data, and recent occurrences hinder understanding of its potential distribution, ecology, and niche requirements. More efforts are required to understand the species’ needs, past and current trends, threats, and taxonomy. Therefore, Cantharellus fuscipes is assessed as Data Deficient.

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Taxonomic notes

The taxonomic status and placement of this species is unclear.

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Geographic range

Cantharellus fuscipes is known only from two sites: its type locality in Blumenau, Santa Catarina State (Bresadola 1896), and São Leopoldo, Rio Grande do Sul state, both within the southern Brazilian Atlantic Forest. Lack of data hinders understanding of its distribution and population size. Nevertheless, it is reasonable to expect that the species can be restricted to the southern Atlantic Forest, as this phytogeographical domain is well sampled and the species has never been found again in other areas.

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Population and Trends

The species is currently only known from its holotype, collected in 1896, and another collection made 43 years later, in 1939, both within the southern Brazilian Atlantic Forest. Despite high sampling efforts in this area, it has never been found again, rendering it a possibly rare species. Considering this, with currently available data, it is not possible to estimate population parameters or understand the species’ niche requirements to reasonably infer its potential area of occupancy.

Population Trend: Unknown

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Habitat and Ecology

Although little information is known about the habitat preferences of this species, its type specimen was found growing on wood in Santa Catarina. The species upon which this fungus was growing is unknown. No further information appears to exist regarding the habitat where either specimen was found.

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Threats

The lack of data regarding the species' distribution and habitat requirements hinders the understanding of its threats.

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Conservation Actions

Without further research, the distribution of any wild populations of this species remain unknown. No conservation action can be recommended at this time. As Cantharellus fuscipes was described 128 years ago with only one new collection so far, made more than 85 years ago, further research and sampling efforts are needed to understand the species' distribution, potential niche, and biology, especially if it is restricted to the southern Brazilian Atlantic Forest which is a highly threatened ecosystem. Due to its apparent rarity and lack of recent data, it is crucial to better understand its taxonomy and relation with other Cantharellus species.

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Use and Trade

No use/trade is known.

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Source and Citation

Liddle, T.A. 2025. Cantharellus fuscipes. The IUCN Red List of Threatened Species 2025: e.T265907690A265962743. Accessed on 22 November 2025.

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• Country occurrence