| Cantharellus lateritius | |
|---|---|
| |
| In Wayne National Forest, Ohio, USA | |
Scientific classification 
| |
| Domain: | Eukaryota |
| Kingdom: | Fungi |
| Division: | Basidiomycota |
| Class: | Agaricomycetes |
| Order: | Cantharellales |
| Family: | Cantharellaceae |
| Genus: | Cantharellus |
| Species: | C. lateritius
|
| Binomial name | |
| Cantharellus lateritius | |
| Synonyms[1] | |
Cantharellus lateritius | |
|---|---|
 | Ridges on hymenium |
 | Cap is infundibuliform |
 | Hymenium is decurrent |
 | Stipe is bare |
 | Spore print is cream to salmon |
 | Ecology is mycorrhizal |
 | Edibility is choice |
Cantharellus lateritius, commonly known as the smooth chanterelle, is a species of edible fungus in the mushroom family Cantharellaceae. The species has a complex taxonomic history, and has undergone several name changes since its first description by American mycologist Lewis David de Schweinitz in 1822. The fruit bodies of the fungus are brightly colored yellow to orange, and usually highly conspicuous against the soil in which they are found. At maturity, the mushroom resembles a filled funnel with the spore-bearing surface along the sloping outer sides. The texture of the fertile undersurface (hymenium) of the caps is a distinguishing characteristic of the species: unlike the well-known golden chanterelle, the hymenium of C. lateritius is much smoother.
Chemical analysis has revealed the presence of several carotenoid compounds in the fruit bodies. Found in Asia, Africa, and North America, the species forms ectomycorrhizal relationships.