Classification, Biological Characteristics and Cultivations of Ganoderma

Species of Ganoderma (Ling-zhi) have been widely researched and cultivated due to their highly prized medicinal value, which is famous as a traditional Chinese medicine. The aims of this chapter are to (1) review the historical taxonomy of the family Ganodermataceae, (2) provide an account of the genera and species of Ganoderma together with the distributions and habitats, (3) evaluate morphological features and phylogenetic methods to define the genera and species and (4) present two commonly used cultivated methods (wood-log cultivation and substitute cultivation) for Ganoderma.