The name Ramaria magnipes, a species described in northwest USA has earlier been misapplied to this species by Nordic authors. This taxon is now described as a new species: Ramaria boreimaxima (von Bonsdorff et al. 2014).

Ramaria boreimaxima is a conspicuous and easily recognizable mycorrhizal species with large fruitbodies associated with Scots Pine in old-growth forests on dry and sandy soils in northern Europe. The species is a representative and indicator species of old, dry, lichen-dominated sandy pine forests with a high conservation value, including a rich fungal biodiversity. The species is known from approx. 300 localities almost exclusively in Sweden, Finland and Norway. The real number of sites may be about three times higher.

The habitat of old dry pine forest of R. boreimaxima, outside protected areas, is quickly disappearing due to forestry; while fire suppression and nitrogen fertilisation of forests may be contributing to declines in habitat quality. The species does not appear to re-establish after clear-cutting. The overall population of R. boreimaxima is estimated to have declined, and this decline is expected to continue at a rate of about 25-29% over 50 years (three generations) due to clear-cutting forestry and habitat quality declines. Hence, R. boreimaxima is assessed as Near Threatened (NT) under the criteria A2ce+3ce+4ce.

Ramaria boreimaxima is a European species with is main distribution in boreal Sweden, Finland and southern Norway (GBIF 2024). There are a few records in Estonia and Latvia. It also reported from four regions in western Russia (Archangelsk Oblast, Perm Kray; Republic of Karelia, Sverdlovskaya Oblast; Shiryaev 2020).

The large to very large, eye-catching and easily identifiable sporocarps of Ramaria boreimaxima are well known and have been paid much attention as an indicator for pine forests with high conservation values (Nitare 2023). R. boreimaxima is listed as Vulnerable in the national Red List of Sweden (SLU Artdatabanken 2020), as Least Concern in Finland (Hyvärinen et al. 2019) and is not yet assessed in Norway (Artsdatabanken 2021). It is currently known from ca. 250 localities in Fennoscandia plus a few in Estonia and Russia (T. Svetasheva, pers. com). The total number of sites, including unknown ones, is estimated to be about 1,000, each with on average 3-5 genetically unique mycelia (genets). Each mycelia may on average correspond to approximately 5 mature individuals (cf. Dahlberg and Mueller 2011).

Mycorrhizal fungi in dry sandy pine forests are probably among the most threatened, declining fungal elements of Europe as this forest habitat has been severely declining due to clear-cutting during the last century (Brandrud and Bendiksen 2014; Nitare 2023). In Fennoscandia, clear-cutting-caused habitat loss of dry sandy old pine forests is estimated to be approaching about 30% over the last 50 years and the population decline of R. boreimaxima to be in the same range. This decline is continuing. As R. boreimaxima is an ectomycorrhizal fungus, the three generations assessment period is estimated to be 50 years (Dahlberg and Mueller 2011). Data from the National Swedish Forest Inventory show that the number of pines older than 175 years has decreased by approx. 50% (since 1995), and is estimated to have decreased significantly more since 1970 (SLU Artdatabanen 2020), so a decline approaching 30% over the past 50 years across its whole range is considered conservative.

Ramaria boreimaxima forms ectomycorrhiza with Scots Pine (Pinus sylvestris) and grows in open, dry and often lichen-dominated sandy and nutrient poor old-growth pine forests, e.g. on glacifluvial deposits, often along the larger rivers and including esker-ridges (deposits made by subglacial rivers). Sometimes it is also found on sandy moraine. The vegetation is often dominated lichens, lingonberry and heather. Unlike many other coral fungi, R. boreimaxima is not associated with calcareous soil. It has not been recorded in younger, even-aged forests that has been clear-cut.

Ramaria boreomaxima is primarily threatened by clear-cutting of old-growth pine forests but also the last century's measures to prevent forest fires and potentially also by nitrogen fertilization of forests. The species appears more or less dependent on forest/tree/root continuity, and is one of the more sensitive sandy pine forest species to modern clear-cutting forestry.

No commercial use or trade is known, but it is considered edible (von Bonsdorff and Kosonen 2021)

To prevent decline and fragmentation of the old-growth sandy pine forests with natural dynamics, it is important to set aside Scots Pine forest reserves, preferentially larger, continuous areas. In these forests, natural or prescribed burning should be considered to maintain desired forest dynamics. It may also be important to maintain disturbances such as (moderate) grazing, of e.g. reindeer providing small openings in the humus layer.

The life cycle and population dynamics, e.g. conditions required for mycelial establishment, mycelial longevity and genetic diversity of local subpopulations should be investigated. Further investigations of old-growth pine forests in Russia are needed to more accurately assess the global status trend of Ramaria boreimaxima.