Genetic study separates false lingzhi from medicinal reishi species
Researchers led by the Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew have distinguished the European fungus Ganoderma lucidum from the East Asian medicinal species Ganoderma lingzhi. Using genetic material from a historic Kew specimen and comparisons with public DNA records, they found the species diverged at least 16 million years ago. The team proposes “false lingzhi” as a common name for G. lucidum and says past genetic and pharmacological attribution needs reassessment.
The story
A research team from the Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew and international collaborators has clarified that Ganoderma lucidum, a European bracket fungus first described in 1781, is distinct from Ganoderma lingzhi, the East Asian fungus commonly associated with medicinal lingzhi or reishi. The species had frequently been treated as the same because of their similar appearance and the broad historic use of the name G. lucidum. The researchers examined historic specimens in Kew’s Fungarium. In April 2025, Ganoderma specialist Viktor Papp identified a fungus collected from a hazel tree near London that closely matched William Curtis’s original description. Genetic material from that specimen allowed the group to establish a reference for G. lucidum and compare it with publicly available records. Their analysis indicates that G. lucidum and G. lingzhi diverged at least 16 million years ago. Conventional DNA barcoding performed poorly: only 149 of 1,130 public barcode sequences potentially assigned to G. lucidum could be confidently identified as that species. The researchers also found that available genomes labelled G. lucidum belonged to other species. They propose the common name “false lingzhi” for G. lucidum and recommend using multiple genetic fragments with evolutionary modelling for reliable identification.
Why it matters
Species names determine how evidence is connected to a biological material. If a supplement, laboratory sample or pharmacological paper uses G. lucidum as a catch-all label, findings associated with G. lingzhi may be incorrectly transferred to a different fungus. A better reference sequence could support authentication and quality-control work, while helping researchers separate questions about the chemistry and potential medicinal properties of each species. The study does not establish that either fungus is effective for treating disease; rather, it identifies a barrier to evaluating such claims accurately.
Evidence and context
Ganoderma fungi attract scientific interest because they produce compounds including beta-glucans and triterpenoids. The source notes that triterpenoids have shown promising results in mouse brain-tumor-cell research, while G. lingzhi has a long history of traditional medicinal use and is sold as a supplement in North American and European markets. Those facts do not demonstrate that G. lucidum has the same properties. The study’s data suggest that taxonomy problems extend beyond the two names at the centre of the work. Its authors found distinct European–West/South Asian and East Asian clades among material called G. lucidum; they say the East Asian clade may represent another species. A Chinese research group described an East Asian lineage as Ganoderma sinolucidum in September 2026, adding a further taxonomic question for future comparisons.
Limits and unknowns
The confusion has unusually deep roots. William Curtis’s 1781 description of G. lucidum is central to the name, but the original biological specimen no longer survives; only an illustration remains. Similar-looking Ganoderma fungi were subsequently assigned the same Latin name, and pharmacological information was often attached to that label. The newly identified historic material offers a practical genetic reference, but uncertainty remains: no verified G. lucidum genome is currently available, and the study says more work is needed to understand the fungus’s biology and any bioactive properties.
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Story timeline
Original description
William Curtis described the fungus later known as Ganoderma lucidum, but only an illustration of the original type survives.
Historic specimen identified
Viktor Papp identified a Kew Fungarium specimen collected near London that closely matched Curtis’s description.
East Asian lineage named
A Chinese research group officially described an East Asian lineage as Ganoderma sinolucidum, according to the source.
Study published
The Kew-led analysis was published in Plants, People, Planet.
Further reading on this topic
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Genetic study separates false lingzhi from medicinal reishi species
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Highlights
- Two distinct species
- DNA from a historic specimen
- An ancient split
- More reliable identification
Transcript
Researchers distinguish Europe’s Ganoderma lucidum, proposed as “false lingzhi,” from East Asian medicinal lingzhi.
Kew researchers used DNA from a historic fungus collected on a hazel tree near London.
Their DNA comparison suggests these lookalikes diverged at least sixteen million years ago.
This reference could help labs check supplement ingredients and link findings to the right species.
No verified genome exists yet for Europe’s fungus, and neither species’ medical value is established here.