Ling zhi

[Guest guest]

All,

 

While both Z'ev and Eric are correct (mostly), it should be noted that many

different types of fungi are saprophytes, as are some plants. Saprophytes get

their nutriton exclusively from the ground, but mostly from roting organic

matter. Fungi are in a kingdom all by themselves and most of what we think of as

" mushrooms " whether they by gilled or polypores are saprophytes. Others that are

symbionts form beneficial relationships with other organisms and play a key role

in the uptake of nutrients for more that 95% of the worlds plants.

 

There are two main divisions of fungi Mastigomycota and Amastigomycota, the

latter are the ones we use. This group is divided into four groups, many of

which are saprophytes. The Basidiomycotina group, or " club fungi " is the group

where we find Ganoderma (ling zhi) and the rest of the polypores. This group

also contains most of the " fleshy fungi " which we call mushroom such as

Shiitake, as well as jelly fungi, smuts and puffballs.

 

There are quite a few Ganoderma's used around the world and Ganoderma lucidum

(ling zhi) grows on every continent except Australia. I have seen in on the East

Coast of the US. It is pretty much exclusive to hardwoods such as oak and

cherry.

 

The Mistletoe's (Viscaceae) are a diverse group of angiosperms (plants with

seeds protected by an overy), in 7 genera represented by ~~450 species. These

are perennial parasitic shrubs growing on the aboveground portions of woody

plants. Loranthaceae is a different genus and Viscaceae is sometime lumped in

that genus and is parasitic on a more diverse group of plants. I am honestly not

sure which of these two genera Taxillus (sang ji sheng) belongs to, do you know

Eric?

 

I'm sure this is more that any of you wanted, but is was fun to write and I hope

you enjoyed it as much as I did. Botany is of keen interest to me and since I am

considering the Ethnobotany program at the University of Hawai'i I thought I

would endulge myself. I personally believe if you are an herbalist, you must be

at least fluent enough in botany to know the difference between Ganoderma and

Taxillus!

 

Regards,

Thomas

 

" Eric Brand "

Ling zhi is the sexual fruiting body of a saprophytic fungus.

Saprophytes live off of dead or decaying organic matter; without

saprophytes, our ecosystem would look dramatically different because

there would be a great deal of non-decomposed organic matter. Ling

zhi is distantly related to other polypores, such as zhu ling

(polypores have pores instead of gills, such as the delicious wild

mushroom porcini).

 

Mistletoe is a parasitic plant that gleans nutrients off of living

plant hosts.

 

Eric

 

 

 

 

 

Professor of

Honolulu, HI

808-349-8219

 

www.herbsandmore.photostockplus.com

 

 

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