Assessment Notes

Justification

Hortiboletus coccyginus is a small to medium-sized bolete with an evenly rosy red to pink cap, yellow pores, and flesh that typically doesn’t stain blue. It is an uncommon species, but this may reflect historically poor knowledge of its ecology, and the population appears to be stable. It is assessed as Least Concern.

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Taxonomic notes

Described from a collection made in the Sierra Nevada of California, USA as Boletus coccyginus (Thiers 1975), it was later transferred to the genus Hortiboletus (Frank et al. 2020).

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Geographic range

It is known from both coastal and montane forests from central California north to Washington, east into Idaho, USA.

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Population and Trends

The population is widespread but disjunct for this uncommon species. Although there are relatively few records (fewer than 30) of this species the population appears to be stable, with a number of recent records as habitat, ecology and range become better known.

Population Trend: stable

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Habitat and Ecology

It is solitary, scattered, or in small clusters on ground in mixed forests. It is ectomycorrhizal with a wide range of associates; Douglas-fir (Pseudotsuga menziesii), Tanoak (Notholithocarpus densiflorus), and Coast Live Oak (Quercus agrifolia) on the California coast, reported from under conifers in the California mountains. Most of the Pacific Northwest collections were from cottonwood (Populus) forest. Fruiting occurs in fall.

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Threats

No direct threats have been identified.

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Conservation Actions

No specific conservation actions has been identified with regards to this species at this time. Continued reporting of collections on sites like iNaturalist will provide a better understanding of range, ecology and abundance of this species.

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Use and Trade

It is edible, but rarely collected for food.

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Source and Citation

Siegel, N. 2022. Hortiboletus coccyginus. The IUCN Red List of Threatened Species 2022: e.T198480500A198489903. https://dx.doi.org/10.2305/IUCN.UK.2022-1.RLTS.T198480500A198489903.en .Accessed on 31 July 2024

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• Country occurrence