Habitat and Ecology
In North Macedonia, Leucopaxillus compactus is found in old-growth deciduous forests of Quercus pubescens, Q. frainetto and Carpinus orientalis but it can also be found in Q. ilex, Fagus sylvatica, Castanea sativa and in mixed forests. It is a terrestrial saprotroph, preferring dry to mesic calcareous soil. The species produces sporocarps from late summer to winter.
It is an extremely rare species, recorded at only two sites in the mountains of Jakupica and Galicica, at an elevation between 600–850m. In Galicica NP, the site is situated in the zone of sustainable use. The species has well-known ecology but it has not been frequently observed in the past, and given that it is not present in popular books, it might have been omitted by amateur mycologists. As a result, based on the species knowledge and the availability of an appropriate habitat, estimation of the highest probable number of sites was made at 20.