Phaeocollybia lilacifolia was described from Type collection made at Mount Rainier National Park, in Washington USA (Smith 1959).

Phaeocollybia rifflipes (Norvell 2002) is a synonym (Norvell pers. comm.).

Phaeocollybia lilacifolia is a rare mushroom with a disjunct distribution on the northern California to Washington coast and Coast Range, and scattered sites in the Cascade Range.

This species appears to be restricted to mature and old growth forests. Suitable habitat is now rare and fragmented, continuing to decline in both quality and geographic extent.

Currently known from ~30 records from ~15 locations; in an habitat that continues to decline.

Phaeocollybia lilacifolia is known from highly disjunct populations from northern California into Washington in coastal forests, and a few scattered sites in the Oregon and Washington Cascade Range.

Populations of Phaeocollybia lilacifolia are widespread, but highly disjunct. This species may be restricted to mature and old growth forests. Suitable habitat is now rare and fragmented, continuing to decline in both quality and geographic extent.

The scarcity of remnant old growth and mature forests in the Coast Range and Cascade foothills, and their fragmented condition are a major cause for concern; it is unknown if this species is capable of colonizing and persisting in younger forests.

Phaeocollybia lilacifolia is currently known from ~30 records, from ~15 locations (Norvell & Exeter 2009, MyCoPortal 2021). Most of these occurrences are in mature and old growth forests, which are in decline.

Phaeocollybia lilacifolia is ectomycorrhizal with conifers; especially Douglas-fir (Pseudotsuga menziesii), Grand Fir, (Abies grandis), and Western Hemlock (Tsuga heterophylla), and Sitka Spruce (Picea sitchensis).

This species may be restricted to mature and old growth forests. Fruiting in scattered patches or small clusters from soil, typically in areas with thick duff. Fruiting in fall.

Phaeocollybia lilacifolia is an ectomycorrhizal fungus species dependent on living host trees for viability. The major threat to this species and its co-occurring co-generic brethren is habitat destruction, via the logging of old-growth forests to which it appears confined too. The extent of old growth forest in the Pacific Northwest of North America has declined 90% in the last century (Society of American Foresters 1984, Haynes 1986).

Fire is big threat to this species’ populations. A stand replacing fire could severely degrade and/or diminish its current range. Logging and machine clearing of understory vegetation should be limited in mature and old growth forest in areas where this species might occur.

This species is included on the United States Forest Service Northwest Forest Plan Survey and Manage list of rare/old growth forests dependent fungi, and has been actively surveyed for since the late 1990’s (Castellano et al. 1999)

Continued surveys for existing populations. A better understanding of habitat restraints and requirements; ie. is it restricted to old growth forests.

None known.

Castellano, M.A., Smith, J.E., O’Dell, T., Cázares, E. and Nugent, S. 1999. Handbook to Strategy 1 Fungal Species in the Northwest Forest Plan. U. S. Department of Agriculture, Forest Service, Pacific Northwest Research Station: Portland, OR. 195 p.

Haynes, T.W. 1986. Inventory and value of old-growth in the Douglas-fir region. PNW-RN 437. U.S. Department of Agriculture, Forest Service, Pacific Northwest Research Station, Portland, OR.

MyCoPortal. 2021. http://mycoportal.org/portal/index.php. Accessed on March 24.

Norvell, L.L. 2002. Phaeocollybia in western North America 3: New species P. phaeogaleroides and P. rifflipes, with notes on the P. festiva complex. Mycotaxon 81: 95-112

Norvell, L.L. and Exeter, R.L. 2009. Phaeocollybia of Pacific Northwest North America. US Department of Interior, BLM: Salem, OR. 229 p.

Society of American Foresters. 1984. Scheduling the harvest of old growth : Old-growth forests in the Pacific Northwest : a position of the Society of American Foresters and Report of the SAF Task Force on Scheduling the Harvest of Old-Growth Timber. Bethesda, MD.