Reishi Basic Introduction Reishi has been called the king of herbal medicines, with many herbalists ranking it above ginseng. Although some people use reishi to brew teas, the mushroom is usually taken for medicinal purposes only, as it has a very bitter, woody taste. • Name: Ganoderma lucidum is from the Latin word gan, which means “shiny,” derm means “skin,” and lucidum means “brilliant.” Also called the “Tenthousand-year mushroom” and the “Mushroom of immortality.” • Description: Most distinguishing feature is its shiny lacquered look; has a kidney-shaped cap and sometimes the spores appear on the cap and give the appearance of sandpaper. The mushroom comes in six colors: red (akashiba), white (shiroshiba), black (kuroshiba), blue (aoshiba), yellow (kishiba), and purple (murasakishiba). • Habitat: Found in dense, humid coastal provinces of China; favors the decaying stumps of chestnut, oak, and other broad-leaf trees. • Active ingredients: Beta- and hetero-beta-glucans; lin