Mycolevis siccigleba is a widespread hypogeous fungus in western North America, mostly occurring in drier conifer forests.

Currently known from ~90 collections from 50+ locations, with no documented decline. Based on this, I recommend listing as Least Concern.

Described from a collection made at Priest River in northern Idaho, USA (Smith 1965).

Mycolevis siccigleba is a widespread hypogeous fungus in western North America, mostly occurring in drier conifer forests.

Currently known from ~90 collections from 50+ locations, with no documented decline. Based on this, I recommend listing as Least Concern.

Scattered throughout the drier conifer forests in the western North American mountains, including the Sierra Nevada and Siskiyou range in California, USA, across the peaks in the Great Basin into the Rocky Mountains in Colorado, north through Idaho and eastern Washington into southern British Columbia, Canada. There are also a couple records from the Olympic Peninsula in Washington, and eastern Cascade Range in Oregon.

Highly disjunct collections reported from Mexico are not included in this assessment until genetic studies compare them to collections from the main population.

Population is very widespread; currently known from ~90 collections from 50+ locations. No specific habitat requirements have been noted, therefore assessment on decline of habitat and trends of this species is lacking.

Hypogeous, solitary or scattered, buried in duff or soil. Ectomycorrhizal, most collections come from forest with fir (Abies spp.) and spruce (Picea spp.). Likely also with Douglas-fir (Pseudotsuga menziesii). Fruiting from spring into fall; this species is dependent on mycophagy (primarily eaten by small mammals) for spore dispersal.   

No specific threats have been directly linked to this species. The habitat overall has suffered from prolonged droughts and decades of fire suppression have drastically altered western montane forests, leading to thicker, denser, Abies dominated forests. As a result, hotter, stand replacing fires (rather than patchwork and understory burns) are commonplace, altering appropriate habitat drastically, and making it ill-suited for this species.

No specific conservation action has been identified with regards to this species at this time.

A better understanding of habitat requirements and restraints of this species. Population trends and overall range. Modern taxonomic work, comparing outlying collections (Mexico, coastal, etc).

None known.

Albee-Scott, S. 2007. The position of the Leucogastrales, including Mycolevis siccigleba (Cribbeaceae) in the Albatrellaceae using morphological and molecular data. Mycological Research 111: 653–662.

Fogel, R. 1976. Notes on distribution and spore ornamentation of Mycolevis siccigleba (Basidiomycetes, Cribbeaceae). Mycologia 68: 1097–1103.

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

Smith, A.H. 1965. New and unusual basidiomycetes with comments on hyphal and spore wall reactions with Melzer’s solution. Mycopathologia et Mycologia Applicata 26: 385–402.