Family Cantharellaceae J. Schröt.

This family contains the chanterelles, trumpets, and their close relatives. They are all thought to be ectomycorrhizal, forming beneficial partnerships with plant roots, primarily the beech family (beech, oak) and pine family (fir, hemlock, pine, spruce, etc.) in our temperate region. Chanterelles and trumpets can be found in the same spot from year to year.

The ridges of chanterelles are not considered to be true gills. The ridges are indeterminate in growth, becoming thicker as the hymenium develops new layers of basidia over the previous ones.

The family contains five to seven genera (depending on how they are split). Cantharellus and Craterellus are widespread in both temperate and tropical regions. Pseudocraterellus (widespread) is perhaps not distinct from Craterellus. Afrocantharellus (Africa) is better treated as a subgenus of Cantharellus (Buyck et al. 2014). The other tropical groups have one to several species: Goossensia (Africa), Parastereopsis (Borneo), and Pterygellus (tropical Asia). Chicago Region species are listed below, though more work is required.

1. Cantharellus, Ca. chicagoensis, Ca. cinnabarinus, Ca. enelensis, Ca. flavus, Ca. lateritius, Ca. minor, Ca. phasmatis, and a few requiring sequencing.
2. Craterellus, Cr. fallax, Cr. foetidus, Cr. ignicolor, Cr. tubaeformis, and one unknown (Pseudocraterellus).