Ganoderma is a genus of polypore fungi that includes about 80 species, many of which are found in tropical regions. They are used in traditional Asian medicines and have a high genetic diversity. The fruit bodies of Ganoderma are large, perennial, woody brackets that grow in a fan-like or hoof-like form on the trunks of living or dead trees. They are characterized by double-walled, truncate spores with yellow to brown ornamented inner layers. Ganoderma are wood-decaying fungi with a cosmopolitan distribution and can grow on both coniferous and hardwood species.
Ganoderma lucidum, also known as lingzhi or reishi, is a type of Ganoderma that has a long history of use for promoting health and longevity in China, Japan, and other Asian countries. It is a large, dark fungus that grows in various hot and humid locations in Asia. Reishi mushroom has a variety of potential health benefits, including boosting the immune system. It has been found to have a potential medicinal benefit for metabolic disorders and coronavirus infections. However, its safety has recently come into question.
Different members of the Ganoderma genus need different conditions for growth and cultivation. Attempts have been made to cultivate the mushroom due to its irregular distribution in the wild and increasing demand for it as a medicinal herb. Morphological characteristics such as spore shape and size, context color and consistency, and the microanatomy of the pilear crust are thought to be more reliable for identifying Ganoderma species than macromorphological features.
