Ganoderma lucidum is a fungus belonging to the family Ganodermaceae. Most of the ganoderma lucidum fruiting bodies are annual, and a few are perennial, with stalks and small stalks growing laterally. The cap is woody, corky, fan-shaped, grooved, kidney-shaped, semicircular or nearly round, the surface is brownish yellow or reddish brown, blood red to chestnut, sometimes the edge gradually becomes light yellowish brown to yellowish white, with a similar Paint-like luster, with concentric ring grooves on the cover surface, sharp or slightly blunt edges, often involuted. The fungus flesh is white to light brown, often light brown near the tube, the tube is small, the surface of the tube hole is light white, white cinnamon, light brown to light yellow brown, the tube mouth is nearly round, the stipe is lateral, partial or Mesophyll, nearly cylindrical, with strong lacquer-like luster. Basidiospores are ovate or apically truncated, double-walled, transparent and smooth on the outer wall, brown or light brown on the inner wall, with small spines, and an oil droplet in the center.
Ganoderma lucidum is distributed in all continents of the world, most of which grow in tropical, subtropical and temperate regions. China is a place where ganoderma fungus resources are widely distributed, mainly distributed in Beijing, Hebei, Shandong, Jiangsu, Zhejiang, Fujian, Jiangxi, Hubei, Hunan, Guangxi, Guangdong, Henan, Yunnan, Sichuan, Guizhou, Hainan, Taiwan, Shaanxi, Shanxi, Anhui, Gansu, Tibet, Hong Kong and other places. It grows next to stakes or on the rhizosphere of various broad-leaved trees such as oak and Fagaceae, and pinus genus, and also grows on conifers such as hemlock. Ganoderma lucidum mostly grows in places with scattered sunlight, sparse trees or open areas.
In China, the term Ganoderma lucidum first appeared in Zhang Heng's "Xijing Fu" in the Eastern Han Dynasty: "Soak stone fungus in Chongya, wash Ganoderma lucidum with Zhu Ke", but there are records about Ganoderma lucidum in earlier pre-Qin ancient books. So far, the earliest book with detailed records on Ganoderma lucidum is "Taishang Lingbao Zhicao", which introduces the consumption of Ganoderma lucidum and guides the collection of Ganoderma lucidum. , and "Dao Zang" is a collection of Taoist classics, so Ganoderma lucidum is covered with a layer of mystery in Taoism. The "Shen Nong's Materia Medica", which was written in the late Eastern Han Dynasty, focuses more on the introduction of the pharmacology and medicinal properties of Ganoderma lucidum. Qi, not aging and prolonging life." "Compendium of Materia Medica" written by Li Shizhen in the Ming Dynasty records that Ganoderma lucidum is a "prescription medicine". The species are classified according to the name of release, collection of solutions, right and wrong, repairing treatment, smell, indications, attached prescriptions, etc. According to the philosophy of the five elements, Baizhi belongs to gold, Qingzhi belongs to wood, Heizhi belongs to water, Chizhi and Zizhi belong to fire, and Huangzhi belongs to earth. Ganoderma lucidum is sweet, slightly bitter, and mild in nature. Its main function is to nourish the middle and Qi, nourish the heart and calm the nerves. It is used for fatigue, weakness, loss of appetite, improvement of kidney deficiency, improvement of fatigue, improvement of male function, liver and kidney protection, diuresis, and palpitations. Zhong, insomnia, forgetfulness, coughing up phlegm and wheezing, chronic coughing. It is also used to promote the health of the cardiovascular and cerebrovascular systems, and improve neurasthenia and chronic respiratory problems.