Assessment Notes

Justification

This species is known only from Neutral Bay, Sydney, Australia. Information regarding any further collections of this species appears to be lacking. It is unknown whether this species remains at its known locality, however if any subpopulations do exist, they are likely to be threatened by human disturbance. Due to a deficiency in information regarding the current status and locations of any wild subpopulations of this species, this species is listed as Data Deficient until new information arises regarding this deficiency.

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Taxonomic notes

It is most probably not a Cantharellus due to the unusually large spores, being associated with the grass Imperata arundinacea (=I. cylindrica; POWO 2023), and having gills (and not folds) (see Cleeland and Cheel 1919) (I. Olariaga Ibarguren in litt. 2022).

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Geographic range

This species has been reported in the past growing on a patch of grass (Imperata arundinacea = I. cylindrica; POWO 2023) in successive years at Neutral Bay, Sydney, New South Wales, Australia (Cleeland and Cheel 1919). Since this initial description, there don't appear to be any further records of this species.

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Population and Trends

Because the status of the current wild population of this species can't at this time be verified, and because no records exist under protection, the current population trends of this species are uncertain.

Population Trend: unknown

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Habitat and Ecology

This species has been observed to occur on a patch of grass in Neutral Bay, Sidney, especially after heavy rains after the grass has been burnt. It has been found attached in small gregarious masses to the bases of the stems near the ground (Cleeland and Cheel 1919). This species is therefore thought to occupy subtropical or temperate grassland.

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Threats

As this species is thought to exist at Neutral Bay, Sydney, any remaining wild subpopulations are likely to be threatened by human disturbance, including for urban development and for recreation.

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Conservation Actions

As the current state of any remaining wild subpopulations of this species cannot be determined at this time, no conservation action can be recommended. Further research is needed to confirm the existence of this species in the wild, and specifically at Neutral Bay, in order to assess the potential threats acting upon this species and to assess its population trends.

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Source and Citation

Liddle, T.A. 2023. Cantharellus imperatae. The IUCN Red List of Threatened Species 2023: e.T226993589A227537475. https://dx.doi.org/10.2305/IUCN.UK.2023-1.RLTS.T226993589A227537475.en .Accessed on 8 January 2025

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• Country occurrence