Aphroditeola olida may be a cryptic species. It has been suggested, that the subpopulations in dry pine forest and oligotrophic calcareous forest in Europe may be two different taxa (Nitare 2023). Similarly, may the subpopulations in North America correspond to different taxa. In this assessment, the species is considered as a monotypic genus and assessed as one taxon.

Aphroditeola olida is a rare and peculiar fungus with a typical candy-like smell and small pink cantharelloid sporocarps that grows on coniferous forest floors in Europe and North America. It grows in two types of old forests, oligotrophic calcareous spruce forests and pine forests on sandy soil. Its lifeform is not yet well understood.

In Europe, it is nationally Red Listed (NT-VU) in the countries where it has its major occurrences. In Canada, it is assessed as Apparently Secure, roughly equivalent to Near Threatened. Its habitats, in particular in Fennoscandia where it has its main occurrence in Europe, have been seriously declining, mainly due to forestry. The status and trend of its habitat in North America is considered to be similar.

The overall decline of the forest habitats of A. olida is estimated to be at least of 25 % in 50 years (three generations considering it to be an ectomycorrhizal fungus) and predicted to continue to decline. The population size is suspected to undergo a similar decline, approaching 30%. The species is thus assessed as Near Threatened (A2c+3c+4c).

It is mainly a boreal species distributed in Europe (Fennoscandia, the Alps and the Pyrenees) and in North America around the Rocky Mountains and from the Cascades mountains and north along the Pacific West coast to Alaska. It is also recorded in the northeast of the US and in the Quebec-region of Canada (GBIF Secretariat 2023). It is probably also present in the European part of Russia, but confirmed records are lacking.

Aphroditeola olida is a small but eye-catching and easy species to recognize that is well known and much looked for. It only occurs with a few mycelia (genets) within known sites, typically fewer than five. In Europe It is known from approximately 300 sites in Fennoscandia (50+ localities in Norway, 150+ in Sweden, and 50+ sites in Finland) and 50+ sites in the Alps and Pyrenees (Spain, France, Switzerland, Italy and Austria). In North America, it is reported from about 100 sites, mainly from the Rocky Mountains in Oregon to the north and from the northeastern part of USA.

It is nationally Red Listed in Norway (VU; Artsdatabanken 2021), Sweden (VU; SLU Artdatabanken 2020), Finland (NT; Hyvärinen et al. 2019), Denmark (DD, recorded once in 1954; Moeslund et al. 2023), Switzerland (NT; Senn-Irlet et al. 2007) and Austria (NT; Dämon and Krisai-Greilhuber 2017). France, Italy and Spain lacks national fungal Red Lists. It is assessed as Apparently Secure in Canada (Canadian Endangered Species Conservation Council 2022). The main proportion of the population occurs in forests that have not previously been clear-cut. The subpopulations in Europe where Red List assessments have been conducted, are estimated to have decreased, and continue to decrease mainly due to clear-cutting, decreasing the area of old growth coniferous forests. In Canada, it is assessed as Apparently Secure roughly corresponding to NT in the system of IUCN. A. olida is considered as an exclusive and top-ranked indicator of forests with high conservation values (Nitare 2023). The status and trend is more uncertain in North America.

The number of known sites with A. olida globally is less than 500 and the total number is estimated to be less than 2,500. Probably, the total number of mature individuals globally exceeds 20,000, assuming 2,500 sites each estimated to have with 3-5 genets and each fragmented into 3 mycelial clones (mature individuals, cf. Dahlberg and Mueller 2011). Coniferous forests are being clear-cut at a rate of about 1% annually in parts of Fennoscandia and is probably approaching a similar rate in parts of its range North America. The population size is suspected to undergo a similar decline, or at least approaching 30%, assuming its lifeform being mycorrhizal. Three generations of ectomycorrhizal fungi are estimated to be 50 years (Dahlberg and Mueller 2011).

The lifeform of Aphroditeola olida is uncertain (Nitare, 2023). It was earlier often considered to be a saprotroph, but it may rather be ectomycorrhizal. It is an easily recognizable fungus with small pink cantharelloid fruit bodies with a fragrant candy-like smell on coniferous forest floors. Its typical habitat is old calcareous mossy spruce forests and in old pine forests on sandy soil. It has been suggested that A. olida in these two contrasting forest habitats may represent different taxa (Nitare 2023). In oligotrophic calcareous spruce forests, it is often found associated with the fungus Ramaria pallida. This coral fungus is not present in pine forest. In North America, it is rare but has a wide distribution and seems to occur in in old-growth forests of both spruce, fir and Douglas Fir (Pseudotsuga menziesii), and also at both dry and wetter sites.

It is primarily threatened by clear-cutting of old-growth coniferous forests. No records are known from replanted forests after clear cutting.

This species is not used.

To prevent declines and further fragmentation, it is important to set aside reserves where Aphroditeola olida is present. These sites typically house several other rare and habitat-specific species, often nationally Red Listed mycorrhizal fungi, both in calcareous spruce forests and in sandy pine forests. It can also be important to establish sites with a less strict conservation regime, such as woodland key biotopes.

The lifeform of A. olida should be investigated. It should also be clarified if the taxon in the two different forest types is the same species, or if it rather consists of phylogenetically closely related taxa. The life cycle and population dynamics, e.g. conditions required for mycelial establishment, mycelial longevities and genetic diversity of local subpopulations should be also investigated. Additionally, a better documentation and analysis of the impact of forestry would be desirable. Finally, more documentation on the the status and trends of the habitats is needed from North America.