Widely distributed in the North Temperate zone, L. amethystina also occurs in Neotropical oak forests and with Comarostaphylis arbutoides in the páramo. In these former forests, it is sympatric with Laccaria gomezii, but is distinguished by the basidiomata that are bright grayish purple and fade directly to buff, thick subdistant lamellae, and globose, coarsely echinulate basidiospores.
