Fauna
Fungus

Lacquered Bracket

Ganoderma lucidum

Also known as Reishi, Varnished Conk, Lingzhi

Lacquered bracket emerges on decaying hardwood timber with a distinctive glossy, reddish-brown cap that looks freshly shellacked. Its tough, woody bracket attached by a lateral stem functions as an efficient spore factory, releasing millions of microscopic spores from tiny pores underneath. As a vital saprotrophic decomposer, this fungus breaks down complex lignin, returning crucial nutrients to ancient forest soils.

PolyporeWood-DecayGlossy Cap
Lacquered Bracket reference1 / 7
"Reishi Mushroom" by Wendell Smith is licensed under CC BY 2.0. To view a copy of this license, visit https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/2.0/. · cc-by
—observations
—countries
—peak records
Not EvaluatedConservation statusIUCN Red List categoriesLCNTVUENCREWEXNot Evaluated — not placed on the risk ladderRed List categories, explained →
Key facts
Diet & preyDead hardwood timber, Tree stumps, Lignin
Predators
  • Darkling beetles
  • Fungus gnats
  • Slugs
ThreatsDeforestation and intensive forestry removing deadwood
HabitatsTemperate hardwood forests and ancient woodlands
Life spanFruiting bodies persist several months to a year
Classification
  1. OrderPolyporales
  2. FamilyPolyporaceae
  3. GenusGanoderma
  4. SpeciesGanoderma lucidum
Range & activity
Range data is not available yet.
Safe observation
Interaction riskLow
  1. Low
  2. Moderate
  3. High
  4. Very high
Why interaction risk is low
Many wild fungi have toxic look-alikes; never ingest wild mushrooms based on app identification alone.
Responsible observation
  • Look Near Stumps: Search around the roots and stumps of decaying oak or beech trees.
  • Examine the Cap: Touch the top to feel the hard, varnish-like protective crust.
  • Observe the Underside: Check the tiny cream-colored pore layer beneath the cap.
Related species
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