Assessment Notes

Justification

This highly prized edible mushroom of cultural importance is becoming increasingly difficult to find, with anecdotal evidence indicating a suspected population decline exceeding 50% within the past three generations of this species. It is, therefore, assessed as Endangered.

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Geographic range

This species is found only on Nothofagus obliqua in Región del Bio Bio, Región de la Araucanía, Región de los Lagos and Región de Aysén in Chile. In Argentina it is found near Bariloche.

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Population and Trends

The habitat is restricted to forests with old and large Nothofagus obliqua (Roble) in remote areas that are receding due to historical and continued logging and ongoing habitat reduction.

Anecdotal information from local communities refers to this food species as one they "used to find". Reports from collectors indicate that whereas they used to find this species within less than half a day's walk, they now have to search for multiple days. Although there is a lack of quantitative data to be able to accurately estimate the population decline, based on this local knowledge we suspect a population decline of at least 50% within the past 50 years (three generations).

Population Trend: Decreasing

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Habitat and Ecology

This species occurs in old and large Nothofagus obliqua trees, dead stumps or trunks. It has been inaccurately reported on Populus in Argentina (M. Rajchenberg pers. comm.).

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Threats

Threats to this species include logging for hardwood, habitat loss to give way to introduced pine and eucalypt plantations, continuous harvesting for traditional food use, road construction, grazing for domestic animals, and construction related to hydroelectrical power generation and power cable networks.

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Conservation Actions

A study to survey its distribution and plan conservation actions is needed. A management plan is needed, which should include promoting sustainable harvest and letting its required deadwood substrate rot in place.

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Use and Trade

This is a highly prized edible mushroom, which is intensely harvested, often on a recurring basis from the same logs (which are increasingly hard to find). It is sold locally at markets, where it is greatly in demand with any available mushrooms of this species selling within an hour (G. Furci pers. obs.). It is an important food source for the indigenous Mapuche people.

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Source and Citation

Furci, G. 2020. Grifola gargal. The IUCN Red List of Threatened Species 2020: e.T75725863A75725878. Accessed on 20 November 2025.

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• Country occurrence