A recent multigene phylogenetic study that tested samples of Cantharellus alborufescens from Italy, Spain, France and the type from Morocco found they were correctly attributed to C. alborufescens, and were distinct from C. cibarius (Olariaga et al. 2017). This study also suggested that C. henrici, C. ilicis and C. lilacinopruinatus should be considered synonyms of C. alborufescens.

Since the relatively recent description of Cantharellus alborufescens, there have been limited records of occurrence. With a lack of such data it is difficult to assess the status of its population or distribution.

However, it is possible to make a series of assumptions about its potential range and habitat extent that indicate it has quite a widespread population across the Mediterranean region. Key species that make up its habitat have also been assessed as Least Concern, and based on these factors, it is tentatively assumed that C. alborufescens may be of Least Concern too.

Cantharellus alborufescens was described from Morocco and subsequent records available via GBIF come from Spain, Greece, Italy and France. An additional ‘Research-grade’ tagged record from Algeria is available on iNaturalist, and recent papers have identified and examined the habitat of C. alborufescens in Iran (Parad et al. 2018, 2020). Range extent is therefore uncertain but Olariaga et al. (2017) describe it as widespread across Mediterranean Europe and it can be inferred to occur across suitable habitat in North Africa, and east of the Mediterranean extending to Iran; and it is included in the Maltese checklist of fungi (Sammut 2022).

There is a lack of existing georeferenced occurrence data, but the existence of similar Cantharellus species across the range suggests some observations of C. alborufescens could have been wrongly identified as other species.

Cantharellus alborufescens was relatively recently described and therefore there are few spatio-temporal records to base population size and trends over time upon. Olariaga et al. (2017) stated that there has been historical confusion over C. alborufescens and that it has seldom been treated under its correct name.

The lack of observation data means that estimating the likely number of unrecorded localities, or functional individuals per locality is highly uncertain, but its wide range means that the total population size is likely to be very large. The population trend is uncertain too, due to the lack of temporal occurrence data for this species.

All specimens, bar one, of Cantharellus alborufescens were associated with Mediterranean evergreen oaks (Quercus ilex, Q. pubescens, Q. cerris) and calcareous ground in a recent study (Olariaga et al. 2017), the remaining specimen grew under Castanea sativa. Several Spanish records available on GBIF are also associated with Q. suber and Q. coccifera.

A recent examination of the habitat of C. alborufescens in Iran found their presence in oak-hornbeam stands with clay-loam soils of a neutral to slightly acidic pH (Parad et al. 2020).

No major threats have been identified.

Quercus ilex and other Mediterranean oak species (Q. cerris and Q. pubescens) which are thought to characterise the habitat of Cantharellus alborufescens, have been assessed as Least Concern (Rankou et al. 2017, Gorener 2018, Jerome and Vazquez 2018). These tree species do face localised threats including development, conversion to agriculture and fire, as well as drought as a consequence of climate change. Threats to this habitat could impact on C. alborufescens but work is required to identify the extent of such threats.

Sociedad Micológica Extremeña (2020) lists Cantharellus alborufescens as edible. A recent paper in Iran suggested this species is an important edible mushroom economically for local residents of the northern Iranian forests in which it has been identified (Parad et al. 2020).

An evaluation of its distribution, population, habitat and ecology is required to better assess this species. Identifying whether occurrence records of Cantharellus alborufescens have been wrongly attributed to other species, and how widespread the species is across the inferred habitat would help address assumptions made in this assessment.