Content overview: “Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew Scientists Solve 245-Year Lingzhi Mushroom Mix-Up in Plants, Pe”. A new study published in Plants, People, Planet by researchers from the Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew and international partners resolves a long-standing confusion between two fungi: Ganoderma lucidum, a European bracket fungus first described in 1781, and Ganoderma lingzhi, the East Asian species know A new study published in Plants, People, Planet by researchers from the Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew and international partners resolves a long-standing confusion between two fungi: Ganoderma lucidum, a European bracket fungus first described in 1781, and Ganoderma lingzhi, the East Asian species known as lingzhi or reishi. For 245 years, the two distinct species were often conflated, largely because the European name G.
lucidum was applied to Asian specimens used in traditional medicine. The team clarifies their separate identities, a critical step for accurate labeling, quality control, and research into the medicinal properties of lingzhi, a mushroom widely used in herbal remedies and supplements across Asia and globally. This listing links straight to the original page, where the content is available in full.