Resolving species delimitation issues of European Cantharellus is crucial to correctly name chanterelles around the globe. Thirty names referring to Cantharellus s. str. have been described in Europe, some of which are used in other continents. Based on combined analyses of ITS2, LSU, RPB2 and TEF-1, merely eight species are here recognized in Europe applying the genealogical concordance phylogenetic species recognition criteria, one of which, C. roseofagetorum, is described as new. Morphological characters used in species delimitation are mapped and their variability evaluated. The colour of the hymenophore in young specimens is found to be a rather constant morphological character of taxonomic use. European species of Cantharellus are morphologically distinguished by unique combinations of characters, such as the presence of a pink pileal coating, pileus and hymenophore colour when young, and in some cases, the mean spore length and ecology. Eighteen type specimens from Europe are sequenced. Based on revised species concepts sixteen novel taxonomic synonyms are here proposed for European chanterelles: C. alborufescens (= C. henrici, C. ilicis, C. lilacinopruinatus), C. amethysteus (= C. cibarius subsp. squamulosus, C. cibarius var. umbrinus, C. rufipes), C. cibarius (= C. cibarius var. atlanticus, C. parviluteus), C. ferruginascens (= C. cibarius var. flavipes), C. friesii (= C. ignescens), C. pallens (= C. cibarius var. albidus, C. cibarius var. bicolor, C. subpruinosus), and C. romagnesianus (= C. pseudominimus, C. lourizanianus, C. romagnesianus var. parvisporus). The type of Cantharellus, C. cibarius, is epitypified. Descriptions, colour illustrations and a key to all European species are provided.
