Assessment Notes

Justification

Since the description of Cantharellus ianthinoxanthus there have been some records of occurrence across Europe and into Türkiye. It may also have been recorded under other names, including C. melanoxeros. Without clearer data on the frequency of C. ianthinoxanthus across its habitat, it is difficult to assess the status of its population, but it given its likely wide distribution and under-recording, this may be relatively large. Fagus sylvatica and Castanea sativa, key species thought to make up its habitat have also been assessed as Least Concern.

Under the assumptions that C. ianthinoxanthus has a large range, occurs in habitats associated with some widely distributed tree species, and therefore has a sizeable population, it is tentatively assumed that C. ianthinoxanthus is of Least Concern.

---

Taxonomic notes

This species is likely better placed in Craterellus (I. Olariaga Ibarguren in litt. 2022).

---

Geographic range

This species was described from France (as Cantharellus cibarius var. ianthinoxanthus), and subsequent records under the names Cantharellus ianthinoxanthus and Craterellus ianthinoxanthus are available on GBIF from Austria, Slovenia, Germany, Switzerland, Spain and France. Recent papers have identified Cantharellus ianthinoxanthus in Türkiye and Poland (Sesli̇ et al. 2016, Hoffeins et al. 2017), and it has been noted for Greece too (Konstantinidis 2020). However there is some caution over such records, as it has been considered to be a European endemic, predominantly from Central Europe, reaching across to the northern Iberian Peninsula (I. Olariage Ibarguren in litt. 2022), so such Turkish records would be disparate from the rest of the range. It has also been identified by mycological groups in Italy such as Il Gruppo Micologico di Pesaro, and Associazione Micologica Italiana Naturalistica Telematica.

Range extent is therefore uncertain but it can be inferred to occur across suitable habitat (particularly beech forest) over a large swathe of Europe, although where reported it does not seem to be a common species.

There is a lack of existing georeferenced occurrence data, but the existence of morphologically similar Cantharellus species such as C. melanoxeros across much of the inferred range suggests that some observations of C. ianthinoxanthus could have been wrongly identified as other species.

---

Population and Trends

Cantharellus ianthinoxanthus appears to have a fairly wide distribution, and several associated tree species (Fagus sylvatica, Carpinus betulus and Castanea sativa). It may have had its records misattributed to other Cantharellus species, particularly C. melanoxeros. It is therefore tentatively assumed to have a larger, more widespread population than current occurrence data indicates.

Population estimates depend on the assumptions about the inferred range. Given the broad ranges of the above tree species thought to be associated with C. ianthinoxanthus and the existing distribution of records it can cautiously be assumed to occur across much of Europe and into the Türkiye where appropriate habitat exists.

It is only seen in a few spots in all the localities where it is occurs, and is never abundant. Therefore estimating the likely number of unrecorded localities, or functional individuals per locality is uncertain. However, using F. sylvatica to indicate habitat and a series of broad assumptions based on the information available it is possible to assume that the population size is fairly large overall (i.e. above the thresholds for consideration as threatened).

The population trend is uncertain, due to a lack of spatio-temporal occurrence data for this species.

Population Trend: Unknown

---

Habitat and Ecology

This species was described from Fagus forest, with siliceous and siliceous clay soil, found summer to autumn (Maire 1911). In general it occurs in well-preserved deciduous forests, on acid ground and in rainy areas, associated with Fagus and Quercus (I. Olariaga Ibarguren in litt. 2022).

A recent paper on Turkish C. ianthinoxanthus found them to be gregarious under Carpinus betulus and Castanea sativa (Sesli̇ et al. 2016)

---

Threats

The species is only known from well-preserved forest and does not occur in plantations, and so land conversion for agriculture, including silviculture, is assumed to impact this species.

Fagus sylvatica which appears to comprise the most widespread habitat of Cantharellus ianthinoxanthus, has been assessed as Least Concern (Barstow and Beech 2018). This species does face threats particularly from pests, diseases and climate change impacts such as drought, temperature extremes and storms. Carpinus betulus and Castanea sativa, which have been identified as habitat for the Turkish population of C. ianthinoxanthus are both also assessed as Least Concern (Shaw et al. 2014, Barstow and Khela 2018), although Castanea sativa faces threats from logging/harvesting and forest management as well as similar threats to F. sylvatica.

Threats to such habitats could impact on C. ianthinoxanthus, but work is required to identify the extent of such threats.

---

Conservation Actions

An evaluation of its distribution, population, habitat and ecology is required to better assess this species.

Identifying whether occurrence records of Cantharellus ianthinoxanthus have been wrongly attributed to other species, and how widespread the species is across its associated habitat would help address the initial assumptions made in this assessment.

---

Use and Trade

The type description includes reference to the sweet flavour of this species (Maire 1911). Various mycological societies list Cantharellus ianthinoxanthus as edible.

---

Source and Citation

Tansey, C. 2025. Cantharellus ianthinoxanthus. The IUCN Red List of Threatened Species 2025: e.T70401563A271621896. Accessed on 20 November 2025.

---

• Country occurrence