Cortinarius tucumanensis has medium-sized basidiome with striking colors, with gregarious habit, usually with several scattered basidomatas, which makes it a relatively easy species to observe. It is an endemic species of the Montane Forests of the southern Yungas. It is an ectomycorrhizal species associated with Alnus acuminata (aliso del cerro) in cloud forests. Despite its conspicuity and sampling efforts, only 17 collections have been made since 1949 in the area of the aliso del cerro forests in three localities in Tucuman, Catamarca and Salta provinces. It is expected that there could be about 60 sites in Argentina and Bolivia where the conditions for this species exist. It is approximated that there are currently between 9,000 and 18,000 mature individuals of C. tucumanensis. The generation time of this species is 50 years, and it is predicted that due to climate change, the suitable area for the specific forest which harbors this species will decrease by 25-50% in the next 30 years (year 2050) (Wicaksono et al 2017), causing a suspected population size reduction of at least the same magnitude, along with reduction of the habitat quality. Considering these threats and its population size decline, C. tucumanensis is assessed as Vulnerable (VU A3c).

Cortinarius tucumanensis M.M. Moser, in Moser & Horak, Beih. Nova Hedwigia 52: 339 (1975)

Cortinarius tucumanensis is an endemic species of the Montane Forests of the southern Yungas. It is an ectomycorrhizal species associated with Alnus acuminata (aliso del cerro) cloud forests.
Only 17 collections have been made since 1949 in the area of the aliso del cerro forests in three localities in Tucuman, Catamarca and Salta provinces. It is estimated that there could be about 60 sites in Argentina and Bolivia where the conditions for this species exist. We estimated then that there are currently between 9,000 and 18,000 mature individuals of C. tucumanensis. The generation time of this species is 50 years, and it is predicted that due to climate change, the suitable area for the specific forest which harbors this species will decrease by 25-50% in the next 30 years (year 2050).

Seventeen collections (1949-2011) from five localities are known for this species from Tucuman, Salta and Catamarca provinces. Cortinarius tucumanensis is an endemic species of the Montane Forests of the Southern Yungas. Since this species has an ectomycorrhizal habit, its distribution pattern is likely related to the distribution of its host, Alnus acuminata. wich is distributed throughout the Andean countries and Central America, up to Mexico (according to GBIF there are 525 observations from NW Argentina to Mexico). Nevertheless, considering C. tucumanensis records, its distribution might be restricted to the Southern Yungas, which encompasses the cloud forests of NW Argentina and Bolivia (Morrone 2002). Therefore, the species is likely present in 60 points in Argentina and Bolivia, based on occurrences sites of Alnus acuminata within Southern Yungas (Wicaksono et al. 2017).

Cortinarius tucumanensis has medium-sized basidiome with striking colors, with gregarious habit, usually with several scattered basidomatas, which makes it a relatively easy species to observe. Soil and root metagenomic analysis of A. acuminata forest carried out in NW Argentina (Becerra et al. 2005, Geml et al. 2014, Wicaksono et al. 2017) did not found OTUs associated with C. parabibulus or C. tucumanensis, but there is one record of Cortinarius sp. (Geml et al. 2014, Wicaksono et al. 2017) which would indicate that it is not a very rare species to find. Despite its conspicuity and sampling efforts, only 17 collections have been made since 1949 in the area of the aliso del cerro forests in three localities in Tucuman, Catamarca and Salta provinces. An average of 3 specimens were observed per site (1 to 6 specimens in each locality), but it is considered that it could appear 5 to 10 times more at each site with a greater sampling effort (15-30 specimens/site). Due to the fact that it is an ectomycorrhizal species, and that it is usually found forming several scattered basidiomatas, we considered in 10 the ramets number. With these values, we approximated that currently there is a population with 9,000 to 18,000 mature individuals in one subpopulation.
The generation time of this species is 50 years, and it is predicted that due to climate change, the suitable area for the specific forest which harbors this species will decrease by 25-50% in the next 30 years (year 2050) (Wicaksono et al 2017), causing a suspected population size reduction of at least the same magnitude, along with reduction of the habitat quality.

Cortinarius tucumanensis is an ectomycorrhizal species associated with aliso del cerro forests (Alnus acuminata) in the Montane Cloud Forests of Southern Yungas.

Cortinarius tucumanensis is related to Alnus acuminata as an ectomycorrhizal species. This host species is distributed in the cloud forests that are located on the border between the montane forest and the grassland, often in ravines, which generate a prosperous microclimate for the species.
One of the main threats to this ecosystem is global warming, which is estimated to propitiate the conditions for the invasion of species from the Montane Forest, a vegetation floor that is at a lower altitude, displacing the cloud forests at higher altitudes. Current and future (year 2050) habitat models developed for A. acuminata predict a 25–50% decrease in suitable area (Wicaksono et al 2017).
The species is also threatened by its proximity to anthropic influence caused by cattle grazing, deforestation and prescribed fires.

Most known collections of C. tucumanensis were found in protected areas, therefore, the main action to prevent a possible decline of the species is the preservation of quality of habitat. In addition, cloud forest is located on boundaries of protected areas where anthropogenic influence exists. Considering this, it is suggested to reinforce controls in these areas so the protection of the species is effective. Furthermore, it is essential to strengthen policies that stimulate citizen science, making the community know, value and collaborate in the conservation of species.

To achieve the conservation of the species, it is essential to confirm if its distribution extends to the cloud forests of other regions of the Yungas.

No use or trade is known.

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Geml J, Pastor N, Fernandez L, Pacheco S, Semenova T, Becerra A, Wicaksono C, Nouhra E. 2014. Largescale fungal diversity assessment in the Andean Yungas forests reveals strong community turnover among forest types along an altitudinal gradient. Mol Ecol 23:2452–2472. https ://doi.org/10.1111/mec.12765
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Wicaksono CY, Aguirre Guiterrez J, Nouhra E, Pastor N, Raes N, Pacheco S, Geml J (2017) Contracting montane cloud forests: a case study of the Andean alder (Alnus acuminata) and associated fungi in the Yungas. Biotropica 49:141–152. https ://doi.org/10.1111/btp.12394