# Reishi (*Terebellides reishi*)

Reishi mushrooms are unique fungi that grow on trees. They have a shiny, reddish-brown cap and are known for their medicinal properties.

- **Category:** [Fungi](https://www.snappit.app/explore/categories/fungi)
- **Rarity:** Common
- **Danger:** 2/5 · Low
- **Habitat:** Forest
- **Also known as:** Ganoderma lucidum, Lingzhi

![Reishi](https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?title=Special:Redirect/file/Ganoderma_lucidum_01.jpg&width=800)

Photo: Eric Steinert, CC BY-SA 3.0 · [Wikimedia Commons](https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Ganoderma_lucidum_01.jpg)

## Appearance

The Reishi has a distinct fan-shaped or kidney-shaped cap, often shiny and varnished, ranging from reddish-brown to dark brown with concentric growth rings. Its underside is white to pale brown, and it usually grows with a tough, often lopsided stem from wood. This smooth, lacquered appearance sets it apart from many other shelf fungi.

## Taxonomy

- **Kingdom:** Fungi
- **Phylum:** Annelida
- **Class:** Agaricomycetes
- **Order:** Polyporales
- **Family:** Ganodermataceae
- **Genus:** Ganoderma

## Interesting facts

- Ancient cultures called Reishi "the mushroom of immortality" because they believed it granted long life!
- If you touch Reishi's white underside, you might see tiny brown spore dust – it's making billions of babies!
- Reishi can be so shiny it looks like it's covered in lacquer, almost like a piece of polished wood!
- Some Reishi mushrooms have been found to live for many years, adding new growth rings each season!

## Special abilities

- **Wood Decomposer:** Reishi can break down dead hardwood because it releases special enzymes that help recycle nutrients back into the forest ecosystem.
- **Self-Healing Armor:** Reishi has a tough, varnished cap that helps protect it from drying out and provides a sturdy shield against insects or damage.
- **Spore Cloud Master:** Reishi releases billions of microscopic spores from its pores, which helps it spread far and wide to colonize new dead trees.

## Measurements & details

- **Height:** 5-20 cm
- **Edible:** inedible
- **Size:** 5-30 cm
- **Growth Substrate:** wood
- **Season:** Summer to Fall
- **Spore Color:** Brown

## Ecological connections

- **Eats:** White Oak Tree (*Quercus alba*) — Decomposes dead wood for nutrients
- **Eaten by:** Spotted Fungus Beetle (*Diaperis maculata*) — Beetles munch on fruiting body
- **Eats:** Red Maple Tree (*Acer rubrum*) — Feeds on dead or dying maples

## Traits

- [Medicinal](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/medicinal): Medicinal plants possess chemical compounds that can be used for therapeutic purposes to treat illnesses or maintain health.
- [Edible](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/edible): Edible plants are those parts of a plant that are considered safe for human consumption.
- [Decomposer](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/decomposer): Describes organisms that break down dead organic material, recycling nutrients back into the ecosystem.
- [Forest](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/forest): Forest habitats are terrestrial environments dominated by dense tree cover, supporting a high diversity of plant and animal life.

## Collections

- [Fungi](https://www.snappit.app/explore/collections/fungi)

## Safety

**Danger:** 2/5 · Low

Never eat mushrooms found in the wild unless an adult confirms they are safe.

## Frequently Asked Questions

### How to identify Reishi?

Compare the cap shape, the underside, the stem and base, and whether the fungus grows on wood or soil. Some fungi have gills, others pores or teeth. A cap seen only from above often hides the most useful features. Mushroom Identifier: upload a photo and compare the visible details.

### How tall is Reishi?

5-20 cm

### Is Reishi edible?

inedible

### How big is Reishi?

5-30 cm

### Where is Reishi usually found?

Forest

### What does Reishi grow on?

wood

### When is Reishi in season?

Summer to Fall

### What color are Reishi spores?

Brown

## More Fungi

- [Field Mushroom](https://www.snappit.app/explore/field-mushroom) (*Agaricus*)
- [Button Mushroom](https://www.snappit.app/explore/button-mushroom) (*Agaricus*)
- [Portobello Mushroom](https://www.snappit.app/explore/portobello-mushroom) (*Agaricus*)
- [Shiitake](https://www.snappit.app/explore/shiitake) (*Lentinula*)

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Source: [Reishi: Characteristics, Facts & Places to See — Snappit](https://www.snappit.app/explore/reishi)