Cantharellus violaceovinosus is a chanterelle species associated with Quercus. Described from Veracruz, Mexico, it may also occur more widely in Central America. If restricted to its currently published range in Veracruz the population size would be small, estimated at 1,000-2,500 mature individuals, and potentially stable given low rates of forest cover loss. However, if it was to be more widespread then the population size could be one or even two orders of magnitude higher, but then exposed to high rates of forest cover loss.

It is unlikely that these rates of habitat loss would be great enough to trigger a suspected rate of decline that was high enough for a high threat category (i.e. unlikely to be Critically Endangered or Endangered), and so it is not plausible that the species could be any category from Least Concern to Critically Endangered - and so a listing as Data Deficient is not appropriate. To take a precautionary approach the species is assessed as per its currently documented, known range with an uncertain population trend. This population size estimate approaches the thresholds for consideration as threatened under criterion D1, and so it is assessed as Near Threatened under that criterion. Further research is encouraged, as in fact the species may warrant a different category or criteria string in the absence of clearer information about its distribution and trend.

This species should be compared more closely to Cantharellus atrolilacinus, described from Quercus in Costa Rica, as it is conceivable that both could be the same thing (I. Olariaga Ibarguren in litt. 2022).

Chanterelle project

Known from Veracruz state, Mexico, it has been found on the coastal plateau as well as the mountainous region of the state (Herrera et al. 2018. Hernández-Marañón et al. 2023). It is likely to be more widespread in Quercus forests of Central America (I. Olariaga Ibarguren in litt. 2022), and there do exist some potential field observations of this taxon both elsewhere in Central America and in Mexico (see GBIF 2023), for which further taxonomic testing would be appropriate.

This species is solitary to gregarious, but with multiple collections of the species at each known site from the type description (see Herrera et al. 2018). Taking into account the potential habitat within its known range, the number of sites for this species may be as high as 50, and the frequency of collection at each site suggests that there may be at least two to five genets per site. With a scaling factor of x10 to convert to mature individuals (per Dahlberg and Mueller 2011), this would give a total population size of 1,000-2,500 mature individuals. However, it could be far more widespread (I. Olariaga Ibarguren in litt. 2022), so the population size could be far larger in reality once further information becomes available - potentially one or two orders of magnitude higher.

The region where it is currently known from has relatively low levels of forest cover loss (see World Resources Institute 2023), and so within that area the population could be stable. However, with rapid deforestation rates in the wider region where it could occur it is also plausible that the population may be in decline (although the rate of decline is unlikely to be high enough to trigger a high threat category). Further research is required to get a clearer understanding.

This is a species of tropical Quercus forest. It is found on the soil, predominantly under Q. oleoides, but has also been recorded with Q. glaucescens and Q. sapotifolia (Herrera et al. 2018). Fruiting is from June to October (Herrera et al. 2018).

Records of this species appear to come from an area with relatively low and localised forest loss (see World Resources Institute 2023). However, if it is more ubiquitous in Central America then it will almost certainly be being impacted by ongoing land clearance activities.

Further research is required to get a clearer idea of its taxonomic position, as well as to understand its full range better. This will help to investigate what major threats it may face are (if any) and to refine the population size and trend estimates.

It is an edible species, with high nutritional value (Hernández-Marañón et al. 2023).