Russet Rootshank
Phaeocollybia lugubris
Conservation status data sourced from the IUCN Red List of Threatened Species.
Photo: (c) Christian Apschner, some rights reserved (CC BY-NC), uploaded by Christian Apschner
Taxonomy & Classification
Kingdom
Fungi
Phylum
Basidiomycota
Class
Agaricomycetes
Order
Agaricales
Family
Hymenogastraceae
Genus
Phaeocollybia
Russet Rootshank belongs to the family Hymenogastraceae, order Agaricales, within the Agaricomycetes class.
Species Profile
Species profile data sourced from the IUCN Red List of Threatened Species.
The Russet Rootshank faces severe threats from habitat loss due to deforestation and fragmentation of old-growth coniferous forests where it depends on specific mycorrhizal relationships. Climate change is altering the delicate moisture and temperature conditions required for fruiting body development, while pollution and soil acidification from industrial activities further degrade its specialized habitat requirements.
Key Facts
Habitat & Distribution
Inhabits old-growth and mature coniferous forests, particularly those dominated by Douglas fir, western hemlock, and other Pacific Northwest conifers, typically in moist, well-drained soils with thick organic layers. Forms essential mycorrhizal associations with tree roots in undisturbed forest ecosystems at elevations ranging from sea level to montane zones.
Threats
IUCN Red List: Critically Endangered
The Russet Rootshank faces severe threats from habitat loss due to deforestation and fragmentation of old-growth coniferous forests where it depends on specific mycorrhizal relationships. Climate change is altering the delicate moisture and temperature conditions required for fruiting body development, while pollution and soil acidification from industrial activities further degrade its specialized habitat requirements.
Climate change affecting moisture regimes
Disruption of mycorrhizal host relationships
Habitat degradation from logging practices
Old-growth forest loss and fragmentation
Soil acidification and pollution
Community Sightings
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Sources & Attribution
How to Cite
IUCN: IUCN (2025). The IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. Version 2025-1. Available at: https://www.iucnredlist.org. doi:10.2305/IUCN.UK.2025-1.RLTS
GBIF: GBIF.org (2025). GBIF Home Page. Available at: https://www.gbif.org
This page: SpeciesRadar (2025). Russet Rootshank (Phaeocollybia lugubris). SpeciesRadar: Intelligence for Earth's Biodiversity. Available at: https://speciesradar.org/species/russet-rootshank