Reishi Mushroom (Ganoderma lucidum)
Systematics:- Department: Basidiomycota (Basidiomycetes)
- Subdivision: Agaricomycotina (Agaricomycetes)
- Class: Agaricomycetes (Agaricomycetes)
- Subclass: Incertae sedis (undefined)
- Order: Polyporales
- Family: Ganodermataceae (Ganodermaceae)
- Genus: Ganoderma (Ganoderma)
- Species: Ganoderma lucidum (Lacquered Polypore (Reishi Mushroom))
Synonyms:
Lacquered polypore
Ganoderma
Ganoderma varnished
Ganoderma brilliant
Lacquered polypore , or lacquered Ganoderma ( lat.Ganoderma lucidum ) is a mushroom of the genus Ganoderma (lat.Ganoderma) of the Ganoderma family (lat.Ganodermataceae).
Lacquered polypores are found in almost all countries of the world at the base of weakened and dying trees, as well as on dead deciduous wood, very rarely on coniferous wood. Occasionally, varnished tinder fungus is found on living trees, but more often fruiting bodies are found on stumps, not far from the soil surface. Sometimes basidiomas grown on tree roots buried in the ground can be found directly on the soil. From July to late autumn.
The cap is 3-8x10-25x2-3 cm, reniform or almost ovoid , flat, very dense and woody. The skin is smooth, shiny, uneven, wavy, divided into many concentric growth rings of various shades. The color of the cap varies from reddish to brown-violet, or (sometimes) black with a yellowish tinge and clearly visible growth rings.
The leg is 5-25 cm in height, 1-3 cm in ∅, lateral, long, cylindrical, uneven and very dense. The pores are small and round, 4-5 per 1 mm². The tubules are short, ocher. The spore powder is brown.
The pulp is ocher- colored, very tough, odorless and tasteless. The pulp is spongy at first, then woody. The pores are whitish at first, turn yellow and brown with age.
The mushroom is inedible, it is used exclusively for medical purposes.
Spread
Lacquered polypore - saprophyte, wood destroyer (causes white rot). It is found in almost all countries of the world at the base of weakened and dying trees, as well as on dead deciduous wood, very rarely on coniferous wood. Occasionally, varnished tinder fungus is found on living trees, but more often fruiting bodies are found on stumps, not far from the soil surface. Sometimes fruiting bodies grown on tree roots buried in the ground can be found directly on the soil. During growth, the fungus can pick up twigs, leaves and other debris into the cap. In Russia, varnished tinder fungus is distributed mainly in the southern regions, in the Stavropol and Krasnodar territories, in the North Caucasus. In temperate latitudes, it is less common than in the subtropics.
Recently it has spread widely in Altai, in the places of predatory felling.
Season: July to late autumn.
Cultivation
The cultivation of Ganoderma lucidum is carried out exclusively for medical purposes. Fruit bodies traditionally serve as raw materials for obtaining biologically active substances, much less often the vegetative mycelium of this fungus. Fruiting bodies are obtained using extensive and intensive technologies. The vegetative mycelium of Ganoderma lucidum is obtained by submerged culture.
The Reishi mushroom is highly prized and cultivated in the countries of Southeast Asia.
Application
Mushroom Ganoderma lucidumone of the famous basidiomycetes used for medicinal purposes for more than two thousand years by the peoples of Southeast Asia. Linzhi is mentioned in many ancient Chinese medical books: "Herbalist Shen Nun" (Shen Nun Ben Cao Qin) "Compendium of Medicinal Substances" and others. The monograph (Ben Cao Gan Mu) describes Linzhi as the "top" medicine, which means - the most precious , a heaven-given remedy for disease. The books also described in detail the characteristics, methods of application and therapeutic actions of Linchzhi: “... the smell is not pungent, the taste is slightly bitter, intended to eliminate overflow in the chest, increase the qi (energy) of the heart, nourish the middle part of the body, and strengthen memory. Medicines based on Linzhi dilate the coronary artery of the heart, enrich the blood with oxygen, eliminate ischemic heart disease (IHD),prevent myocardial infarction, normalize cardiac activity. It was used for a variety of diseases, including bronchial asthma, neurasthenia, gastritis, and liver diseases.
Intensive studies of Ganoderma lucidum over the past decades have shown that biologically active substances isolated from this fungus have immunomodulatory, antitumor, antiviral, antibiotic, hypolipidemic, hypoglycemic, hepatoprotective, gene-protective, anti-inflammatory, anti-allergenic, cardiac, antioxidant- , respiratory and nervous systems.