Distribution and preliminary assessment of a rare fungus Hemileccinum depilatum (Boletales, Basidiomycota) in Ukraine

Abstract

Hemileccinum depilatum ( Boletales, Basidiomycota) is currently known from Western and Central Europe, the Mediterranean, the Balkan Peninsula, and Asia (Azerbaijan and Turkey). The fungus is rare throughout its range and is included in the Red Lists in several European countries. In Ukraine, the species is known since 2006. Formerly, H. depilatum was found on the South Coast of Crimea, in the Mountain Crimea, Western Forest-Steppe and the Carpathians. The species was recorded only in five localities in three regions of Ukraine: Khmelnytsky, Transcarpathian, and the Autonomous Republic of Crimea. Over the recent years, the fungus has been also reported from the following five regions: Cherkasy, Ivano-Frankivsk, Kyiv, Lviv, and Ternopil. Thus, by now the total number of the species localities increased from 5 to 14. However, the number of records grows due to additional data recently provided from field observations by amateur mycologists, rather than it can be considered as a result of an increasing population trend of the fungus. Undoubtedly, H. depilatum is a rarely occurring species in Ukraine and is to be protected. A preliminary assessment of the species at the national level using the IUCN criteria and categories is provided. Today, the main threat to its existence is collection of the fruit bodies by local population. Therefore, it is proposed to continue searching for new localities of the fungus and to protect those sites at least at the regional level, as well as to provide public outreach, primarily through social networks, which nowadays bring together tens of thousands of amateur mycologists in Ukraine.

Keywords

• boletaceae
• boletus
• fungal conservation
• iucn
• hemileccinum impolitum
• leccinum
• rare fungus