Introduction of Ling Zhi:Lucid Ganoderma or Ganoderma Lucidium.

TCM Herbalism:Medicinals and Classifications. ✵The article gives records of the herb Lucid Ganoderma, its English name, Latin name, property and flavor, its herbal classic book defined botanical source two fungus species, ①.Ganoderma lucidum(Leyss.ex Fr.) Karst., ②.Ganoderma sinense Zhao, Xu et Zhang., and another commonly used fungus species, ③. Ganoderma tsugae, with a detailed introduction to the botanical features of these three fungus species, the growth characteristics, and ecological environment of these three fungus species, the features of the herb Lucid Ganoderma, its pharmacological actions, medicinal efficacy, and administration guide.

Ganoderma Lucidium(Lucid Ganoderma).

Ganoderma Lucidium:photo of herb slices Pin Yin Name: Línɡ Zhī.
 English Name: Lucid Ganoderma, or Fairy Grass.
 Latin Name: Ganoderma Lucidium.
 Property and flavor: neutral in nature, mild or tasteless,or warm, sweet.

 Brief introduction: The herb Ganoderma Lucidium is the dried fructifications of the fungus, Ganoderma lucidum(Leyss.ex Fr.) Karst., used (1).as a tranquilizer for treating dizziness and insomnia, and (2).as a tonic for treating weakness or debility. The herb is commonly known as Ganoderma Lucidium, Lucid Ganoderma, Ganoderma, Fairy Grass, Línɡ Zhī.

 Ganoderma Lucidium:growing mushroom Botanical source: The Lingzhi mushroom or Reishi mushroom defined today is a species complex that encompasses several fungal species of the genus Ganoderma and other genera, most commonly the closely related species special veneration in China, where it has been used as a medicinal mushroom in traditional Chinese medicine for more than 2,000 years, making it one of the oldest mushrooms known to have been used medicinally. In China, today, the mushrooms which could be classified as the Lingzhi mushroom are commonly known covered 4 genera, they are genus (1). Ganoderma Karst, (2). Amauroderma, (3). Haddowia, and (4). Humphreya.

 Ganoderma Lucidium:herb with spore powder The herbal values of the Ganoderma fungus are recorded in herbal classics, and there are three species among the Ganoderma genus that are suggested by official herbal classics with values for the therapeutical purpose, they are known as the species: (1). Ganoderma lucidum, it is also known as LingZhi (Línɡ Zhī) or Chi Zhi (Chì Zhī), literally, Chì Zhī means "Red Lingzhi Mushroom", (2). Ganoderma sinense, it is also known as Zǐ Zhī, literally Zǐ Zhī means "Purple Lingzhi Mushroom", and (3). Ganoderma tsugae, it is also known as Sōng Zhī, literally Sōng Zhī means "Pine Tree Lingzhi Mushroom".

 Herbal classic book defined the herb Ganoderma Lucidum (Ling Zhi) as the sporocarp (fruiting body) of the Ganodermataceae or Polyporaceae family fungus species (1). Ganoderma lucidum(Leyss.ex Fr.) Karst., or (2). Ganoderma sinense Zhao, Xu et Zhang.. They are fungus of the Ganoderma Karst.genus, the Polyporaceae family of the Polyporales order. These 3 commonly used species including (3). Ganoderma tsugae, are introduced:

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


 Ganoderma lucidum Leyss.ex Fr. Karst.:growing mushroom Pin Yin Name: Chì Zhī, or Chì Líng Zhī.
 English Name: Red Ganoderma.
 Latin Name: Ganoderma lucidum.
 Property and flavor: neutral in nature, tastes bitter.
 Botanical description: The Ganoderma lucidum(Leyss.ex Fr.)Karst. is a fungus of the Ganodermataceae or Polyporaceae family and Ganoderma genus, it is commonly known as "Ganoderma Lucidum", "Red Ganoderma", or "Chì Zhī", literally Chì Zhī means "Red Lingzhi Mushroom", fruiting body is annual, handle, plug quality. The pileus (cap) is semicircle or kidney-shaped, the diameter is 10~20 cm, pileus meat thickness is 1.5~2 cm, the pileus table is brown or reddish-brown, pileus gradually turns pale yellow, concentric ring pattern, slightly wrinkled or smooth, with lacquer glossy, blunt edges. Milky white, near the tube, is light brown. The tube grows up to 1 cm, 4~5 per 1 mm. The nozzle is nearly round, early white, yellow, or brown later. Stipe is cylindrical, lateral, or biased, even in health. Length is 10~19 cm, width is 1.5~4 cm, and cap color is similar. Husk mycelium is rod-like, the top is dilated. Mycelium three body type, reproductive mycelium is transparent, thin-walled; skeleton mycelia is brown, thick, almost solid; entangled mycelium is colorless, thick-walled bending, are branched. Spore is oval, double-wall, top is truncated, transparent outer wall, the inner wall is light brown, small spines, the size is (9~11) μm × (6~7) μm, the fruiting body matures in the fall, or matures in winter at south and southwest area of China.

 Ganoderma lucidum Leyss.ex Fr. Karst.:cultivated mushrooms Ecological Environment: The Ganoderma lucidum(Leyss.ex Fr.)Karst., grows in the sunny Fagaceae and Pinaceae pine rhizosphere or dead stumps. Geographical distribution: This species is mainly distributed in China provinces, and mainly in the south area of the Yangtze River.

 Ganoderma Lucidum is a mushroom, a higher-order organism of the world of fungus. It belongs to the Polypore group. Umbrella-shaped, with a semicircular, reniform (kidney-shaped) or suborbicular (almost round) pileus is 10~18 cm wide and 1~2 cm thick. Epicutis is hard, dull yellowish-brown to dull reddish-brown, lustrous, marked with annular (ring-like) ridges and radial wrinkles; margin is thin and truncate (squared as if cut off), often slightly involute (with margin rolling inwards). Gills on the underside of pileus(cap) are white to light brown, consisting of innumerable tubules. Stipe is lateral (grow on or at the side); 7~15 cm long, 1~3.5 cm in diameter; dull reddish-brown to dull purplish-brown; lustrous. Numerous spores, dull yellowish-brown spores in tubules. The mushroom is slightly fragrant and has a bitter-astringent tastes.

 Lingzhi Mushroom Ganoderma Lucidum Fairy Grass Lingzhi is a hard, polypore, and mildly bitter mushroom. Polypores are conspicuous mushrooms that grow off the sides of trees. The actual mushroom organism, or mycelium, is a network of the threadlike filaments that originates from spores. The mycelium spreads throughout the nutrient base or substrate, amassing nutrients as it grows. They live in soil, logs, and other organic trash. As long as nutrients are available, the mycelium can be considered perennial and will live for many years. At least once a year, mushrooms emerge from the mycelial network. As the reproductive organ of the fungus, mushrooms are the means by which spores are created and spread.

 Unlike green plants, which produce many of their nutrients by photosynthesis, mushrooms primarily get their nutrients from dead organic matter or soil. Mushrooms and their mycelium are nature's original recyclers. Without them, the planet's surface would be piled high with dead, decaying material.

 Mushrooms rise out of the mycelium when the right nutrients are amassed and the right environmental conditions are present. Mushrooms release spores at maturity. The wind spreads them and when they land in the right spot, the cycle starts over again.

 Red Glossy Ganoderma:cultivated lingzhi mushrooms "Polypores, commonly known as bracket or shelf fungi, are conspicuous mushrooms that grow off the sides of trees. On a walk through the forest one can commonly see many such bracket mushrooms."

 "What is not readily visible to us, however, is the actual mushroom organism, or mycelium. Just as an apple is the fruit of an apple tree, so a mushroom is a fruit body of a mycelial "tree". Mycelium is a network of threadlike filaments that originates from spores. The mycelium spreads throughout the nutrient base or substrate, amassing nutrients as it grows. As long as environmental conditions are right, the mycelium will continue to grow and propagate until it exhausts the available nutrients."

 "As long as nutrients are available, the mycelium can be considered perennial and will live for many years. At least once a year, mushrooms emerge from the mycelial network. As the reproductive organ of the fungus, mushrooms are the means by which spores are created and spread."

 Red Ganoderma:photo of herb slices Characters of herbs: The fruiting body is umbrella-shaped, the pileus (cap) is hard and corky, semicircular or kidney-shaped, 12~20 cm wide and about 2 cm thick, the cot (sheath) is hard and yellow, gradually changing to reddish-brown, glossy, with circular ridges and radial wrinkles, and the edges are thin and truncated, often slightly rolled in. The context is near white to light brown; The context on the lower surface of the cap is white to light brown, and consists of numerous fine tubular holes (tubule) with basidiopycnidium and basidiospore inside. The stipe is lateral, with a length of 19 cm and a thickness of about 4 cm. Its surface is reddish-brown to purple-brown, with lacquer luster. The herb has a slight odor, it tastes mild.

(2).Ganoderma sinense Zhao,Xu et Zhang.


 Ganoderma sinense Zhao,Xu et Zhang.:Purple Ganoderma Pin Yin 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: The 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", literally Zǐ Zhī means "Purple Lingzhi Mushroom", it is different from the Ganoderma lucidum: the pileus (cap) of the Ganoderma sinense Zhao is mostly purple-black to near brownish brown; Bacillus is uniform brown, dark brown to chestnut brown; spore apical umbilical prominent wall prominent small spines, spores are larger, size (9.5-13.8) μm × (6.9-8.5) μm. Capsular cap is plug shape, mostly semicircular to kidney-shaped, a few near-circular, large individuals are up to 20 cm in length and width, the general individual mushroom is 4.7 × 4 cm, small individuals are 2 × 1.4 cm, black surface, with paint-like luster, with ring concentric ribs and radial ribs. The fungus is rust-brown. Tube mouth and fungus are with the same color tube, nozzle round, 5 per mm. Stipe is lateralis, grows up to 15 cm long, about 2 cm in diameter, black, shiny. Spores are broadly ovoid, 10~12.5 × 7~8.5 um, tiny inner wall warts.

 Ganoderma sinense Zhao,Xu et Zhang.:Purple Ganoderma Ecological Environment: The Ganoderma sinense Zhao, Xu et Zhang., grows in broad-leaved trees or Pinaceae stumps, cause white decay of wood, it is a special species of China. Geographical distribution: This species is mainly distributed in China provinces of the hot and humid south of the Yangtze River zone, the middle and lower reaches of the Yangtze River between the north of Nanling mountains and south of the Qinling mountains, south area of the Nanling mountain in Guangdong and Guangxi province, Hainan, Hong Kong, and southern area of Taiwan. It is also distributed to the area of Xishuangbanna in Yunnan and the southeastern part of Xizang. And it is also distributed to the area at the north of the Qinling Mountains to the Hinggan Mountains.

 Purple Ganoderma:photo of herb slices Characters of herbs: The fruiting body shape of the purple reishi is similar to the fruiting body of Ganoderma lucidum, the main difference is that the cot(sheath) of the cap and stipe is purple-black or brown-black; The tubule below the context and pileus (cap) is 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 and help them to get through the extreme stage of radiation sickness and make the leucocytes recover earlier; ④.increase appetite and improve the mental state of irradiated animals; ⑤.reduce heart rate.

 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.


 Ganoderma tsugae.:Woody Ganoderma Pin Yin 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: The Ganoderma tsugae Murr., is a fungus of the Ganodermataceae or Polyporaceae family and Ganoderma genus, it is commonly known as "Woody Ganoderma", or "Mu LingZhi", Sōng Zhī, or "Song Shan LingZhi", or "Pine Tree Reishi", literally Sōng Zhī means "Pine Tree Lingzhi Mushroom". Sporocarp (fruiting body) with stalked, capped kidney-shaped or fan-shaped 5~9×7~13.5 cm, 1~4 cm thick, corky, reddish surface, shiny skin, no annulus, or inconspicuous annulus, a ribbed edge. Shank is lateral, 2~10 cm long, 1~4 cm thick, the same color or pileus (cap) is slightly darker. The fungus is white, the proximal tube is slightly light brown, 0.5~1.5 cm thick. The tube length is 0.5~1.5 cm, cinnamon color, nozzle white, gradient, and the same color tube, 4~6 per mm. The spore is brown, ovate, the inner wall is with obvious spines, 9~13.5 × 6~8 microns.

 Ecological Environment: The Ganoderma tsugae Murr., mainly grows in the area with an altitude of 700~1,400 meters above sea level, in red pine broad-leaved mixed forest, coniferous mixed forest fir, larch, red pine, spruce's cutting root, rotten wood, larch trunk base, is an extremely rare precious herb, it is mainly distributed in the cold temperate area of China. Geographical distribution: This species is mainly distributed in China provinces Gansu, Heilongjiang, Jilin, and other provinces. This species has functions to enhance immunity, inhibit tumor, liver detoxification, protect the cardiovascular system, soothe the nerves brain, regulate the digestive system function, moistening the lung, and relieves asthma, anti-aging, beauty effects.

 Characters of herbs: The fruiting body is medium to large, corky. The diameter of the pileus (cap) is 6.5~21 cm, semicircular, flat, and kidney-shaped, the surface is red, dark red, and brown-red, and the cot (sheath) is bright and lacquerlike, with no ring lines or inconspicuous, after aging, there are no obvious 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 tubule is dirty white, changing to cinnamomeous and light brown, 4~5 tubules per ml(millimeter). The stipe is 3~6 cm long and 3~4 cm thick, short and thick, the same color as the pileus (cap), glossy, lateral, or partial. The endospore is marked with small spines, brown, one end of some fungus is half truncated, and the exospore is colorless and transparent, oval.

 Ganoderma tsugae.:Woody Ganoderma Modern studies have shown that Ganoderma tsugae or Pine Tree Reishi is rich in nutrients, containing essential amino acids, nucleosides, trace elements, vitamins, and bioactive polysaccharides, triterpenoids, alkaloids, also a good source of essential fibers for maintaining the 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, stroke.

 The polysaccharides are mainly composed of the monosaccharide polymers and beta-D-glucan and other components with physiological activity, with effects anti-tumor, enhance immunity, anti-virus, scavenging free radicals, anti-aging, anti-thrombosis, anti-clotting effect.

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

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

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

 Ganoderma tsugae.:Woody Ganoderma The amino acids constitute the basic unit of protein, is an essential nutrient component of organisms, especially essential amino acids, 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, the average content of it 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 are high content, it is reported that Ganoderma tsugae also contains boron, can be said that the 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 tumor can significantly increase the anti-tumor effect of the polysaccharide.

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

 Mountain Field 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.more

 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.more

 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.more
 
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References:
  • 1.Introduction of Ling Zhi:Lucid Ganoderma or Ganoderma Lucidium.
  • 2.Lingzhi mushroom:Other Cultivated Species.
  • 3.Lingzhi mushroom:Other Identified Common Species.
  • 4.Lingzhi mushroom:Other Identified Special Species.

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