Introduction of Ling Zhi: Ganoderma lucidum, Fairy Grass

 ✵The article records the herb Lucid Ganoderma—its English name, Latin name, Pinyin name, properties and flavor, and the botanical sources defined in herbal classics: two fungal species, (1) Ganoderma lucidum (Leyss. ex Fr.) Karst. and (2) Ganoderma sinense Zhao, Xu et Zhang; and another commonly used fungal species, (3) Ganoderma tsugae Murr. It provides a detailed introduction to the botanical features, growth characteristics, and ecological environments of these three fungal species; the macroscopic and microscopic features of the herb Lucid Ganoderma; its pharmacological actions, medicinal efficacy, and administration guidelines.

Ganoderma lucidum (Lucid Ganoderma)

 Pinyin Name: Línɡ Zhī
 English Name: Lucid Ganoderma or Fairy Grass
 Latin Name: Ganoderma lucidum
 Properties and Flavor: Neutral in nature; mild or tasteless, or slightly warm and sweet

 Brief Introduction: The herb Ganoderma lucidum is the dried fruiting body of the fungus Ganoderma lucidum (Leyss. ex Fr.) Karst. It is used (1) as a tranquilizer to treat dizziness and insomnia, and (2) as a tonic to treat weakness or debility. It is commonly known as Ganoderma lucidum, Lucid Ganoderma, Reishi, Fairy Grass, or Línɡ Zhī.

  Botanical source: The Lingzhi (or Reishi) mushroom refers today to a species complex encompassing several fungal species primarily within the genus Ganoderma—and occasionally other genera. The most commonly venerated species in China, where it has been used as a medicinal mushroom in Traditional Chinese Medicine for over 2,000 years, is Ganoderma lucidum. This makes it one of the oldest documented medicinal mushrooms. In contemporary Chinese practice, fungi classified under the Lingzhi category belong to four genera: (1) Ganoderma Karst., (2) Amauroderma, (3) Haddowia, and (4) Humphreya.

  The medicinal values of Ganoderma fungi are recorded in classical herbal texts. Among the Ganoderma genus, three species are officially recognized in authoritative herbal classics for therapeutic use: (1) Ganoderma lucidum, also known as Línɡ Zhī or Chì Zhī (“Red Lingzhi”); (2) Ganoderma sinense, also known as Zǐ Zhī (“Purple Lingzhi”); and (3) Ganoderma tsugae, also known as Sōng Zhī (“Pine Lingzhi”).

 Herbal classics define the herb Ganoderma lucidum (Lingzhi) as the sporocarp (fruiting body) of fungal species belonging to the family Ganodermataceae (or Polyporaceae), specifically: (1) Ganoderma lucidum (Leyss. ex Fr.) Karst., and (2) Ganoderma sinense Zhao, Xu et Zhang.. These belong to the genus Ganoderma Karst., family Polyporaceae, order Polyporales. The third commonly used species, (3) Ganoderma tsugae, are introduced:

(1) Ganoderma lucidum (Leyss. ex Fr.) Karst.

  Pinyin Name: Chì Zhī or Chì Línɡ Zhī
 English Name: Red Ganoderma
 Latin Name: Ganoderma lucidum
 Properties and Flavor: Neutral in nature; bitter in taste
 Botanical Description: Ganoderma lucidum (Leyss. ex Fr.) Karst. is a fungus in the family Ganodermataceae (or Polyporaceae) and genus Ganoderma. It is commonly known as Ganoderma lucidum, Red Ganoderma, or Chì Zhī (“Red Lingzhi Mushroom”). The basidiocarp (fruiting body) is annual, stipitate, and suberose. The pileus (cap) is semicircular or reniform, 10–20 cm in diameter; the context (flesh) of the pileus is 1.5–2 cm thick. The pileus surface is brownish-yellow or russet (reddish-brown); the margin gradually becomes pale yellow, bearing concentric ring patterns and slight wrinkles or smooth texture, with a lacquer-like gloss; the margin is slightly blunt. The context is creamy white, and the portion adjacent to the tubes is hazel (pale brown). The tubes are up to 1 cm long, with 4–5 pores per 1 mm. The pore openings are orbicular (subrotund), white when young, later becoming pale yellow or brown. The stipe (prostheca) is cylindrical, laterally attached (pleurogenous) or obliquely lateral, occasionally central (mesocentric); 10–19 cm long and 1.5–4 cm in diameter; its color resembles that of the pileus.

 The hyphae of the cuticle are rod-shaped, with swollen apices. The hyphal system is trimitic: generative hyphae are hyaline and thin-walled; skeletal hyphae are tawny (yellowish-brown), thick-walled, and nearly farctate; binding hyphae are hyaline, thick-walled, curved, and highly branched.

 The basidiospores are ellipsoid (egg-shaped), with truncate apices, double-walled; the outer wall is hyaline, the inner wall is hazel (pale brown), ornamented with minute spinules; dimensions: (9–11) μm × (6–7) μm. The basidiocarp (fruiting body) matures in autumn, or in winter in southern and southwestern China.

  Ecological Environment: Ganoderma lucidum (Leyss. ex Fr.) Karst. grows on sun-exposed rhizospheres or dead stumps of trees in the Fagaceae family and the Pinus genus (Pinaceae family). This species is widely distributed across China.

 Growth Characteristics: Ganoderma lucidum (Leyss. ex Fr.) Karst. is a saprophytic fungus; however, it can also parasitize living trees, rendering it a facultative parasite. Its growth temperature range is 3–40 °C (37.4–104 °F), with an optimum of 26–28 °C (78.8–82.4 °F). It thrives when substrate moisture content approaches 200%, relative air humidity is 90%, and pH is 5–6. Ganoderma lucidum is an aerobic organism; fruiting body (carpophore) development requires ample oxygen and diffused (scattered) sunlight.

 Ganoderma lucidum is a macrofungus—a higher fungus within the fungal kingdom—and belongs to the polypore group. Its pileus is umbelliform (umbellate), semicircular, reniform, or suborbicular (subrotund), 10–18 cm wide and 1–2 cm thick. The outer cuticle is hard, dull yellowish-brown to dull reddish-brown, lustrous, marked with annular ridges and radial wrinkles; the margin is thin and truncate (as if squared off), often slightly involute. The hymenophore (underside of pileus) consists of numerous tubules (not gills), white to light brown in youth, aging to pale brown. The stipe is lateral; 7–15 cm long and 1–3.5 cm in diameter; dull reddish-brown to dull purplish-brown, lustrous. Spores within the tubes are dull yellowish-brown. The mushroom is slightly fragrant and has a bitter, astringent taste.

  Lingzhi is a hard, polyporous, and mildly bitter mushroom. Polypores are conspicuous fungi that typically grow laterally from logs or tree trunks. The actual fungal organism—the mycelium—is a network of filamentous (threadlike) hyphae originating from spores. This mycelial network spreads throughout the nutrient substrate—such as decaying wood or soil—absorbing and accumulating nutrients as it grows. Mycelia inhabit soil, fallen logs, and other organic debris. As long as nutrients remain available, the mycelium is perennial and may persist for many years. At least once annually, fruiting bodies emerge from the mycelial network. As the reproductive structure of the fungus, mushrooms produce and disperse spores.

 Unlike green plants—which synthesize many nutrients via photosynthesis—mushrooms obtain nutrients primarily from dead organic matter or soil. Mushrooms and their mycelium serve as nature’s original recyclers. Without them, Earth’s surface would accumulate vast quantities of undecomposed, decaying organic material.

 Mushrooms emerge from the mycelium when sufficient nutrients have accumulated and environmental conditions are favorable. At maturity, mushrooms release spores, which are dispersed by wind; upon landing in a suitable habitat, the life cycle begins anew.

  Polypores—commonly known as bracket or shelf fungi—are conspicuous macrofungi that typically grow laterally from logs or tree trunks. On a walk through the forest, one commonly observes numerous such bracket fungi.

 What remains invisible to the naked eye, however, is the true fungal organism: the mycelium. Just as an apple is the fruit of an apple tree, a mushroom is the reproductive fruiting body of a mycelial network. The mycelium is a network of filamentous (threadlike) hyphae originating from spores. It spreads throughout the nutrient substrate, absorbing and accumulating nutrients as it grows. As long as environmental conditions remain favorable, the mycelium continues to grow and propagate until available nutrients are exhausted.

  Characteristics of the Herb: The fruiting body (carpophore) is umbelliform (umbellate); the pileus (cap) is firm and hard, suberose, semicircular or reniform, 12–20 cm wide and approximately 2 cm thick. The cuticle is hard and rigid: yellow when young, gradually turning reddish-brown, with a lacquer-like gloss, marked by concentric ridges and radial wrinkles; the margin is thin and truncate—often slightly involute (rolled inward). The context (flesh) is nearly white to hazel (pale brown). The hymenophore (undersurface of the pileus) is white to light brown and composed of numerous fine tubular pores; these tubes contain basidia and basidiospores. The stipe (prostheca) is laterally attached (pleurogenous), 19 cm long and approximately 4 cm in diameter; its surface is russet (reddish-brown) to purplish-brown (puce), with a lacquer-like luster. The herb has a faint odor and a mild, slightly bitter taste.[I]

(2) Ganoderma sinense Zhao,Xu et Zhang.

  Pinyin Name: Zǐ Zhī, or Zǐ Líng Zhī.
 English Name: Purple Ganoderma.
 Latin Name: Ganoderma sinense Zhao.
 Property and Flavor: neutral in nature or warm in nature, tastes sweet.
 Botanical Description: Ganoderma sinense Zhao, Xu et Zhang is a fungus of the Ganodermataceae or Polyporaceae family and Ganoderma genus, it is commonly known as Ganoderma sinense, or Purple Ganoderma, Purple Lingzhi Mushroom, or Zǐ Zhī (means Purple Lingzhi Mushroom), and is different from Ganoderma lucidum: the pileus (cap) of the Ganoderma sinense Zhao is mostly atropurpureus (purple-black) to near brown-black; the context is well-proportioned brown, bistre (seal brown) to chestnut brown; the spore tip is umbilical protuberant, protuberant spinules on the inner wall are conspicuous, spores are bigger; the size is (9.5–13.8) μm × (6.9–8.5) μm.

 The pileus (cap) is suberinite, mostly semicircle (semicircular) to reniform, a few are orbicular (subrotund), large mushroom is up to 20 cm in length and width, the size of general mushroom is 4.7 × 4 cm, the size of smaller mushroom are 2 × 1.4 cm, the surface is black, with laccate luster, with annular concentric rib lines and radial rib patterns. The context is rusty brown. The tube orifice of the fungus tube is the same color as the context, tube orifice is round, 5 per mm. The prosthecae (stipe) is pleurogenous, grows up to 15 cm long, is about 2 cm in diameter, black, and glossy. Spores are broadly ovoid, 10–12.5 × 7–8.5 um, and the inner wall is conspicuous verruculose.

  Ecological Environment: Ganoderma sinense Zhao, Xu et Zhang grows in tree stumps of broad-leaved trees, or tree stumps of Pinaceae family and Pinus genus, and causes white decay of wood, is a special species of China. This species is mainly distributed in high-temperature and rainy areas.

  Characteristics of the Herb: The encarpium (fruiting body) of Ganoderma sinense Zhao is similar to the encarpium of Ganoderma lucidum, the main differences are that the husk of the pileus (cap) and prosthecae (stipe) is atropurpureus (purple-black) or brown-black; the context and fungus tube below the pileus (cap) are rusty brown.

 Pharmacological actions: (1) sedative and analgesic effects on mice; (2) improve the cold tolerance and hypoxia tolerance of mice; (3) improve the survival rate of animals in the extreme stage of radiation sickness; (4) reduce heart rate, etc.

 Medicinal Efficacy: Tonifying Qi and calm the nerves (relieve uneasiness of mind and body tranquilization), invigorating Qi and blood, invigorating spleen and stomach, relieving cough, and relieving asthma. It is indicated for restlessness (feel ill at ease, unsettled), insomnia and palpitation (lose sleep and heart-throb), insomnia (lose sleep, agrypnia), spiritlessness and  fatigue, dizziness, consumptive disease (consumptive syndromes), coronary disease (coronary heart disease), dyspepsia (indigestion), poor appetite (do not feel like eating), lung deficiency and cough and dyspnea (cough and dyspnea due to lung deficiency), cough, consumptive disease and shortness of breath, chronic cough and asthma, asthma, pneumosilicosis (silicosis, grinders' disease, blacklung), tumors (phymatosis), etc.

 Administration of Ganoderma Lucidium (Línɡ Zhī): 
 

Reference:

Administration Guide of Ganoderma Lucidium (Línɡ Zhī)

TCM Books:

(1) Internally:6~12 grams; (2) Internally:prepare to finely ground herb powder,0.5~1 qian (about 1.5~3 gramns);or infusing in wine and take; (3) Internally:water decoction,10~15 grams;prepare to finely ground herb powder,2~6 grams;or infusing in wine.  Contraindications, Precautions and Adverse Reactions: the herb Ganoderna Lucidium should better be combined with Linseed, Cinnamomum loureirii Nees, should not be combined with Antifeverile Dichroa Root, Azurite, Capillary Wormwood Herb.

(3) Ganoderma tsugae Murr.

  Pinyin Name: Sōng Zhī, or Sōng Shān Líng Zhī.
 English Name: Woody Ganoderma, or Pine Tree Lingzhi Mushroom
 Latin Name: Ganoderma tsugae Murr.
 Property and Flavor: neutral in nature, tastes bitter.
 Botanical Description: Ganoderma tsugae Murr is a fungus of the Ganodermataceae or Polyporaceae family and Ganoderma genus, it is commonly known as Woody Ganoderma, Mu LingZhi, Sōng Zhī, Song Shan LingZhi, or Pine Tree Reishi (Sōng Zhī means Pine Tree Lingzhi Mushroom).

 The encarpium (fruiting body) is annual, petiolate, soft suberinite when it is fresh, and turns suberinite when it is dried, and weight obviously turns light. Its pileus (cap) is reniform, semicircle (semicircular) or nearly fan (fan-shaped), 3-25 cm in diameter, thickness is 0.8~3 cm, or up to 4 cm, the surface is russet (reddish-brown) or stained russet (stained reddish brown), has a lacquer-like luster, no annular zone or has an inconspicuous annular zone. The context is white or pale whitish, the part near the fungus tube is often hazel (pale brown). The fungus tube is 0.5-1.5 cm long, fawn colour (flavotestaceous) or darker, the pore surface is whitish at the initial stage, later gradually turns the same color as the fungus tube, tube orifice is slightly rounded, 4–5 fungus tubes per mm. The prosthecae is usually thick and short, in general, 4–5 cm long, 2–3 cm in diameter, atropurpureus (purple black), and has a stronger lustre.

 The husk structure is sporiferous layer type, generative hypha (generative hyphae) are colorless and transparent, leptodermous (thin wall), 3–5 μm in diameter; skeletal hyphae are hazel (pale brown), pachypleurous (thick wall) to farctate, arborizations (dendritic branching), the skeletal part is 4–7 μm in dry diameter, flagelliform colorless binding hypha is formed at the end tip of branches; binding hypha is pachypleurous (thick wall), ramificate, 1.5–2 μm in diameter.

 The basidiospores are elliptic, sometimes the tip is truncated, double wall, the outer wall is colorless and transparent, smooth, the inner wall is hazel (pale brown), has spinules, 7.5–11 × 6–7 μm.

 Ecological Environment: Ganoderma tsugae Murr mainly grows in the area at altitudes of 700~1,400 meters above sea level, in red pine broad-leaved mixed forest, coniferous mixed forest of fir, larch, red pine, spruce's cutting root, rotten wood, and larch tree stump, is an extremely rare and precious herb, it is mainly distributed in the cold temperate area of China.

 Characteristics of the Herb: The encarpium (fruiting body) is medium to large, and corky. The diameter of the pileus (cap) is 6.5~21 cm, semicircle (semicircular), is flat, and reniform, the surface is red, dark red, and brown-red, and the husk is bright and lacquer-like, has no ring lines or is inconspicuous, after aging, there are no conspicuous bands and irregular wrinkles, and the edges are ribbed and blunt. The context is wood color, 0.5~1.5 cm thick, the surface of the fungus tube is stained white (dirty white), gradually turns to tawny (cinnamomeous) and light brown, 4~5 tubules per ml (millimeter). The prosthecae (stipe) is 3~6 cm long, and 3~4 cm in diameter, short, and thick, the same color as the pileus (cap), glossy, pleurogenous, or oblique. The endosporium (endospore) is marked with small spines, brown, one end of some fungus is half truncated, and the exospore is colorless and transparent, oval (egg-shaped).

  This species has functions to enhance immunity, inhibit tumors, promote liver detoxification, protect the cardiovascular system, soothe the nerves and brain, regulate the digestive system's function, moisten the lungs, and relieve asthma, anti-aging, and beauty effects.

 Modern studies have shown that Ganoderma tsugae or Pine Tree Reishi is rich in nutrients, containing essential amino acids, nucleosides, trace elements, vitamins, bioactive polysaccharides, triterpenoids, alkaloids, and is also a good source of essential fibers for maintaining health. Studies have shown that it has effects on hepatitis, arthritis, diabetes, hypertension, hyperlipidemia, neurasthenia, and other diseases, and has a significant effect on the three major lethal human diseases of coronary heart disease, cancer, and stroke.

 The polysaccharides are mainly composed of monosaccharide polymers and beta-D-glucan and other components with physiological activity, with effects such as antitumor, enhance immunity, antivirus, scavenging free radicals, anti-aging, anti-thrombosis, and anti-clotting.

 The triterpenoids are another active constituent isolated, experiments confirmed that Ganoderma triterpenoids could increase immunity rapidly, manifested in the promotion of lymphocyte proliferation, increased the phagocytic capacity of macrophages, NK cells, and T cells, and directly and indirectly kill tumor cells. Triterpenoids also have other effects on liver detoxification, anti-oxidation, antibacterial and anti-inflammatory, anti-HIV and herpes virus, inhibition of liver tumor cells, etc., it is the main basic substance of detoxification efficacy.

 The alkaloids show effects to improve coronary blood flow, reduce myocardial oxygen consumption, enhance myocardial and anti-hypoxia capacity, and lower cholesterol levels, which have a significant effect on coronary heart disease, hypertension, hyperlipidemia, hepatitis, and muscle weakness.

 The nucleosides are indispensable and important substances that make up DNA and RNA. They are extremely important materials for biological inheritance and information transmission. The nucleotide composition of adenosine, uridine, adenine, uracil, and other active constituents is the main basic substance of the anti-mutation function.

  The amino acids constitute the basic unit of protein, an essential nutrient component of organisms, especially essential amino acids, that cannot be synthesized in the human body from in vitro intake, Ganoderma tsugae or Pine Tree Reishi fruiting body contains 18 kinds of amino acids, including essential amino acids, especially the low levels of methionine in edible fungi, whose average content is much higher than other edible fungi.

 Studies have shown that the Ganoderma tsugae fruiting body contains Mn, Cr, Cu, Fe, Ca, Mg, Zn, Se, Ge, and other trace elements, selenium, germanium, zinc, iron, calcium, magnesium, and other trace elements have a high content, it is reported that Ganoderma tsugae also contains boron, so Ganoderma tsugae is a treasure house of trace elements. Trace elements and other active substances have synergies, of which organic germanium is an anti-cancer substance, and Ganoderma tsugae polysaccharides' synergy in the inhibition of tumors can significantly increase the antitumor effect of the polysaccharide.

 Ganoderma tsugae also contains a lot of vitamins, including vitamin C, vitamin E, and its carotene content is high, with significant anti-oxidation, and anti-aging activity.
 

Other Species of Lingzhi mushroom.

 There are about 250 kinds of Fungus of the Ganoderma genus, in China, there are almost 98~100 species of fungus found to belong to the 4 genera, and Ganodermataceae family, they grow and spread from south to north.

  Other Cultivated Species of Lingzhi mushroom: Except for the species which defined and recommended by Common herbal classics, (1) Ganoderma lucidum(Leyss.ex Fr.)Karst., or (2) Ganoderma sinense Zhao, Xu et Zhang. There are several other species of Ganoderma cultivated in China nowadays, they are known including species: (3) Ganoderma tsugae, (4) Ganoderma hainanense, (5) Ganoderma multiplicatum, (6) Ganoderma tenue, (7) Ganoderma atrum., (8) Ganoderma shandongense. These commonly cultivated species are introduced at:Lingzhi mushroom:Other Cultivated Species.

 Other Identified Common Species of Lingzhi mushroom: Except the species which defined by Common herbal classics,(1) Ganoderma lucidum(Leyss.ex Fr.)Karst.,or (2) Ganoderma sinense Zhao, Xu et Zhang. And those cultivated species of Ganoderma, (3) Ganoderma tsugae, (4) Ganoderma hainanense, (5) Ganoderma multiplicatum, (6) Ganoderma tenue, (7) Ganoderma atrum. There are some other identified wild species of the Lingzhi Mushrooms could be used, they are known commonly including species: (9) Ganoderma boninense, (10) Ganoderma calidophilum, (11) Ganoderma monglicum, (12) Ganoderma resinaceum, (13) Ganoderma valesiacum, (14) Ganoderma ahmadii, (15) Ganoderma capense, (16) Ganoderma tropicum, (17) Ganoderma duropora, (18) Ganoderma applanatum, (19) Ganoderma gibbosum, (20) Ganoderma lobatum, etc. These usable wild field species are introduced at:Lingzhi mushroom:Other Identified Common Species.

 Other Identified Special Species of Lingzhi mushroom:Except for the species which defined by Common herbal classics, and those cultivated species of Ganoderma, and other identified wild species of the Lingzhi Mushrooms commonly species. There are other identified special species not commonly used. These special wild species are introduced as: (21) Ganoderma curtisii, (22) Ganoderma daiqingshanense, (23) Ganoderma flexipes, (24) Ganoderma kunmingense, (25) Ganoderma ramosissimum, (26) Ganoderma rotundatum, (27) Ganoderma sichuanense, (28) Ganoderma submubraculum, (29) Ganoderma theaecolum, (30) Ganoderma amboineuse, (31) Ganoderma austro fujianense, (32) Ganoderma cochlear, (33) Ganoderma crebrostriatum, (34) Ganoderma dahlia, (35) Ganoderma fornicatum, (36) Ganoderma fulvellum, (37) Ganoderma guinanense, (38) Ganoderma luteomarginatum, (39) Ganoderma magniporum, (40) Ganoderma mastoporum, (41) Ganoderma mediosinense, (42) Ganoderma mirivelutinum, (43) Ganoderma ochrolaccatum, (44) Ganoderma parviungulatum, (45) Ganoderma simaoense, (46) Ganoderma tibetanum, (47) Ganoderma chenghaiense, (48) Ganoderma tsunodae, (49) Ganoderma formosanum, (50) Ganoderma multplea, (51) Ganoderma australe, (52) Ganoderma sanmingense, (53) Ganoderma annulate, (54) Ganoderma bawanglingense, (55) Ganoderma brownie, (56) Ganoderma aensiionatum, (57) Ganoderma diaoluoshanense, (58) Ganoderma limushanense, (59) Ganoderma meijjaganse, (60) Ganoderma philipii, (61) Ganoderma shangsiense, (62) Ganoderma trianglatum, (63) Ganoderma nugntum, (64) Ganoderma koningsbergii. These special wild species are introduced at:Lingzhi mushroom:Other Identified Special Species.
 

References:

• 1.Introduction of Ling Zhi: Ganoderma lucidum, Fairy Grass
• 2.Lingzhi mushroom:Other Cultivated Species.
• 3.Lingzhi mushroom:Other Identified Common Species.
• 4.Lingzhi mushroom:Other Identified Special Species.

 Edited and last revised: January 5, 2023