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''Ganoderma applanatum'' (the artist's bracket, artist's conk, artist's fungus or bear bread) is a
bracket fungus A bracket is either of two tall fore- or back-facing punctuation marks commonly used to isolate a segment of text or data from its surroundings. Typically deployed in symmetric pairs, an individual bracket may be identified as a 'left' or 'r ...
with a
cosmopolitan distribution In biogeography, cosmopolitan distribution is the term for the range of a taxon that extends across all or most of the world in appropriate habitats. Such a taxon, usually a species, is said to exhibit cosmopolitanism or cosmopolitism. The ext ...
.


Description

This fungus is
parasitic Parasitism is a close relationship between species, where one organism, the parasite, lives on or inside another organism, the host, causing it some harm, and is adapted structurally to this way of life. The entomologist E. O. Wilson has c ...
and
saprophytic Saprotrophic nutrition or lysotrophic nutrition is a process of chemoheterotrophic extracellular digestion involved in the processing of decayed (dead or waste) organic matter. It occurs in saprotrophs, and is most often associated with fungi ( ...
, and grows as a
mycelium Mycelium (plural mycelia) is a root-like structure of a fungus consisting of a mass of branching, thread-like hyphae. Fungal colonies composed of mycelium are found in and on soil and many other substrate (biology), substrates. A typical single ...
within the wood of living and dead trees. The ''Ganoderma applanatum'' grows in single, scattered, or compound formations. It forms fruiting bodies that are 3–30 cm wide × 5–50 cm long × 1–10 cm thick, hard as leather, woody-textured, and inedible. They are white at first but soon turn dark red-brown. The upper surface of the fruiting body is covered with reddish brown conidia. Brown
spores In biology, a spore is a unit of sexual or asexual reproduction that may be adapted for dispersal and for survival, often for extended periods of time, in unfavourable conditions. Spores form part of the life cycles of many plants, algae, f ...
are released from the pores on the underside of the fruiting body. The spores are highly concentrated, and as many as 4.65 billion spores can be dispersed from a 10–10 cm section of the conk within 24 hours. The tubes are 4–12 mm deep and terminate in pores that are round with 4–6 per millimetre. The fruiting bodies are
perennial A perennial plant or simply perennial is a plant that lives more than two years. The term ('' per-'' + '' -ennial'', "through the years") is often used to differentiate a plant from shorter-lived annuals and biennials. The term is also wide ...
, and may persist for multiple years, increasing in size and forming new layers of pores as they grow. These layers can be distinguished in a cross section or from observation of the concentric rings on the upper surface of the fruiting body. This allows the fruiting body's age to be determined using the same method as tree rings. ''Ganoderma applanatum'' is a
wood-decay fungus A wood-decay or xylophagous fungus is any species of fungus that digests moist wood, causing it to rot. Some species of wood-decay fungi attack dead wood, such as brown rot, and some, such as ''Armillaria'' (honey fungus), are parasitic and col ...
, causing a rot of
heartwood Wood is a porous and fibrous structural tissue found in the stems and roots of trees and other woody plants. It is an organic materiala natural composite of cellulose fibers that are strong in tension and embedded in a matrix of lignin t ...
in a variety of trees. It can also grow as a
pathogen In biology, a pathogen ( el, πάθος, "suffering", "passion" and , "producer of") in the oldest and broadest sense, is any organism or agent that can produce disease. A pathogen may also be referred to as an infectious agent, or simply a germ ...
of live sapwood, particularly on older trees that are sufficiently wet. It is a common cause of decay and death of
beech Beech (''Fagus'') is a genus of deciduous trees in the family Fagaceae, native to temperate Europe, Asia, and North America. Recent classifications recognize 10 to 13 species in two distinct subgenera, ''Engleriana'' and ''Fagus''. The ''Engle ...
and poplar, and less often of several other tree genera, including
alder Alders are trees comprising the genus ''Alnus'' in the birch family Betulaceae. The genus comprises about 35 species of monoecious trees and shrubs, a few reaching a large size, distributed throughout the north temperate zone with a few sp ...
,
apple An apple is an edible fruit produced by an apple tree (''Malus domestica''). Apple fruit tree, trees are agriculture, cultivated worldwide and are the most widely grown species in the genus ''Malus''. The tree originated in Central Asia, wh ...
,
elm Elms are deciduous and semi-deciduous trees comprising the flowering plant genus ''Ulmus'' in the plant family Ulmaceae. They are distributed over most of the Northern Hemisphere, inhabiting the temperate and tropical-montane regions of North ...
, buckeye and horse chestnut,
maple ''Acer'' () is a genus of trees and shrubs commonly known as maples. The genus is placed in the family Sapindaceae.Stevens, P. F. (2001 onwards). Angiosperm Phylogeny Website. Version 9, June 2008 nd more or less continuously updated since http ...
,
oak An oak is a tree or shrub in the genus ''Quercus'' (; Latin "oak tree") of the beech family, Fagaceae. There are approximately 500 extant species of oaks. The common name "oak" also appears in the names of species in related genera, notably ''L ...
,
live oak Live oak or evergreen oak is any of a number of oaks in several different sections of the genus ''Quercus'' that share the characteristic of evergreen foliage. These oaks are not more closely related to each other than they are to other oaks. ...
,
walnut A walnut is the edible seed of a drupe of any tree of the genus ''Juglans'' (family Juglandaceae), particularly the Persian or English walnut, '' Juglans regia''. Although culinarily considered a "nut" and used as such, it is not a true ...
,
willow Willows, also called sallows and osiers, from the genus ''Salix'', comprise around 400 speciesMabberley, D.J. 1997. The Plant Book, Cambridge University Press #2: Cambridge. of typically deciduous trees and shrubs, found primarily on moist s ...
,
western hemlock ''Tsuga heterophylla'', the western hemlock or western hemlock-spruce, is a species of hemlock native to the west coast of North America, with its northwestern limit on the Kenai Peninsula, Alaska, and its southeastern limit in northern Sonoma ...
,
Douglas fir The Douglas fir (''Pseudotsuga menziesii'') is an evergreen conifer species in the pine family, Pinaceae. It is native to western North America and is also known as Douglas-fir, Douglas spruce, Oregon pine, and Columbian pine. There are three va ...
, old or sick
olive tree The olive, botanical name ''Olea europaea'', meaning 'European olive' in Latin, is a species of small tree or shrub in the family Oleaceae, found traditionally in the Mediterranean Basin. When in shrub form, it is known as ''Olea europaea'' ...
, and
spruce A spruce is a tree of the genus ''Picea'' (), a genus of about 35 species of coniferous evergreen trees in the family Pinaceae, found in the northern temperate and boreal (taiga) regions of the Earth. ''Picea'' is the sole genus in the subfami ...
. ''G. applanatum'' grows more often on dead trees than living ones.


Similar species

The similar '' Ganoderma brownii'' has thicker, darker flesh, often a yellow pore surface, and larger spores than ''G. applanatum.'' ''G. oregonense'', '' G. lucidum'', and ''
Fomitopsis pinicola ''Fomitopsis pinicola'', is a stem decay fungus common on softwood and hardwood trees. Its conk (fruit body) is known as the red-belted conk. The species is common throughout temperate Europe and Asia. It is a decay fungus that serves as a s ...
'' are also similar.


Uses

A peculiarity of this fungus lies in its use as a drawing medium for artists. When the fresh white pore surface is rubbed or scratched with a sharp implement, dark brown tissue under the pores is revealed, resulting in visible lines and shading that become permanent once the fungus is dried. This practice is what gives the ''Ganoderma applanatum'' its common name. ''G. applanatum'' is a medicinal farming crop that is used as a flavor enhancer in Asian cuisine. ''G. applanatum'' is non-digestible in its raw form, but is considered edible when cooked. Hot herbal soups, or fermentation in lemon acid with onion is a common use for cooking with ''G. applanatum'' slices as an
umami Umami ( from ja, 旨味 ), or savoriness, is one of the five basic tastes. It has been described as savory and is characteristic of broths and cooked meats. People taste umami through taste receptors that typically respond to glutamates and ...
flavor enhancer in fermented foods. ''G. applanatum'' can also be used in tea. ''Ganoderma applanatum'' is known in Japan as ''kofuki-saru-no-koshikake'' (コフキサルノコシカケ), literally meaning "powder-covered monkey's bench", and in China as ''shu-she-ling-zhi'' (树舌灵芝), where it has long been used in traditional medicines. Studies have shown ''Ganoderma applanatum'' contains compounds with potent anti-tumor, antibacterial anti-
fibrotic Fibrosis, also known as fibrotic scarring, is a pathological wound healing in which connective tissue replaces normal parenchymal tissue to the extent that it goes unchecked, leading to considerable tissue remodelling and the formation of perma ...
properties. ''Ganoderma Applanatum'' has been used to produce
amadou Amadou is a spongy material derived from '' Fomes fomentarius'' and similar fungi that grow on the bark of coniferous and angiosperm trees, and have the appearance of a horse's hoof (thus the name "hoof fungus"). It is also known as the "tinder ...
, even though ''
Fomes fomentarius ''Fomes fomentarius'' (commonly known as the tinder fungus, false tinder fungus, hoof fungus, tinder conk, tinder polypore or ice man fungus) is a species of fungal plant pathogen found in Europe, Asia, Africa and North America. The species pro ...
'' is most commonly associated with the production of amadou. Amadou is a leathery, easily flammable material that is produced from different
polypore Polypores are a group of fungi that form large fruiting bodies with pores or tubes on the underside (see Delimitation for exceptions). They are a morphological group of basidiomycetes-like gilled mushrooms and hydnoid fungi, and not all polyp ...
s, but can also be consist of similar material. Amadou generally has three areas of use: fire making, medicinal, and clothing, however, it is mostly associated with fire making.


Medicinal uses

Medicinal use of ''Ganoderma Applanatum'' has been extensive throughout thousands of years. In Chinese medicine this fungus has been used to treat rheumatic tuberculosis and
esophageal carcinoma Esophageal cancer is cancer arising from the esophagus—the food pipe that runs between the throat and the stomach. Symptoms often include difficulty in swallowing and weight loss. Other symptoms may include pain when swallowing, a hoarse voic ...
. It has also been used more commonly to resolve indigestion, relieve pain and reduce phlegm. Further studies have shown that It's medicinal qualities also include anti-tumor, anti-oxidation and as a regulator for body immunity. ''Ganoderma Applanatum'' is generally studied from three angles: medicinal, phytopathological, and biotechnological. Medicinal fungi such as ''G. applanatum'' are of special interest due to their antibiotic properties. Methanol extracts from ''G. applanatum'' have shown that the
fatty acid In chemistry, particularly in biochemistry, a fatty acid is a carboxylic acid with an aliphatic chain, which is either saturated or unsaturated. Most naturally occurring fatty acids have an unbranched chain of an even number of carbon atoms, fr ...
s present, such as
palmitic acid Palmitic acid (hexadecanoic acid in IUPAC nomenclature) is a fatty acid with a 16-carbon chain. It is the most common saturated fatty acid found in animals, plants and microorganisms.Gunstone, F. D., John L. Harwood, and Albert J. Dijkstra. The Li ...
, show antibacterial properties.Moradali M, -F, Mostafavi H, Hejaroude G, -A, Tehrani A, S, Abbasi M, Ghods S: Investigation of Potential Antibacterial Properties of Methanol Extracts from Fungus Ganoderma applanatum. Chemotherapy 2006;52:241-244. doi: 10.1159/000094866 Compared to synthetic antibiotics these compounds extracted from ''G. applanatum'' lack problems of drug resistance and side effects.


Fungivory

There is anecdotal references of higher primates consuming this fungus for self-medication. In the book ''
Gorillas in the Mist ''Gorillas in the Mist'' is a 1988 American drama film directed by Michael Apted and starring Sigourney Weaver as the naturalist Dian Fossey. It tells the story of her work in Rwanda with mountain gorillas and was nominated for five Academy Aw ...
''
Dian Fossey Dian Fossey (, January 16, 1932 – ) was an American primatologist and conservationist known for undertaking an extensive study of mountain gorilla groups from 1966 until her murder in 1985. She studied them daily in the mountain forests of R ...
writes the following about gorillas eating ''Ganoderma applanatum'':
Still another special food (for the gorillas) is bracket fungus (''Ganoderma applanatum'')... The shelflike projection is difficult to break free, so younger animals often have to wrap their arms and legs awkwardly around a trunk and content themselves by only gnawing at the delicacy. Older animals who succeed in breaking the fungus loose have been observed carrying it several hundred feet from its source, all the while guarding it possessively from more dominant individuals' attempts to take it away. Both the scarcity of the fungus and the gorillas' liking of it cause many intragroup squabbles, a number of which are settled by the
silverback Gorillas are herbivorous, predominantly ground-dwelling great apes that inhabit the tropical forests of equatorial Africa. The genus ''Gorilla'' is divided into two species: the eastern gorilla and the western gorilla, and either four or fi ...
, who simply takes the item of contention for himself.
The midge ''
Agathomyia wankowiczii ''Agathomyia wankowiczii'' is a species of flat-footed fly in the family Platypezidae Platypezidae is a family of true flies of the superfamily Platypezoidea. The more than 250 species are found worldwide primarily in woodland habitats. A ...
'' lays its eggs on the fruiting body of the fungus, forming
galls Galls (from the Latin , 'oak-apple') or ''cecidia'' (from the Greek , anything gushing out) are a kind of swelling growth on the external tissues of plants, fungi, or animals. Plant galls are abnormal outgrowths of plant tissues, similar to be ...
. Female forked fungus beetles, ''
Bolitotherus cornutus ''Bolitotherus cornutus'' is a North American species of darkling beetle known as the horned fungus beetle or forked fungus beetle. All of its life stages are associated with the fruiting bodies of a wood-decaying shelf fungus, commonly '' Ganode ...
'' lay their eggs on the surface of the fruiting bodies and the larvae live inside of the fruiting bodies of ''Ganoderma applanatum'' and a few other
bracket fungi Polypores are a group of fungi that form large fruiting bodies with pores or tubes on the underside (see Delimitation for exceptions). They are a morphological group of basidiomycetes-like gilled mushrooms and hydnoid fungi, and not all polypor ...
. Meanwhile, the fly '' Hirtodrosophila mycetophaga'' courts and mates entirely on the underside of dark fungi.


See also

*
Forest pathology Forest pathology is the research of both biotic and abiotic maladies affecting the health of a forest ecosystem, primarily fungal pathogens and their insect vectors. It is a subfield of forestry and plant pathology. Forest pathology is part ...
*
Medicinal mushrooms Medicinal fungi are fungi that contain metabolites or can be induced to produce metabolites through biotechnology to develop prescription drugs. Compounds successfully developed into drugs or under research include antibiotics, anti-cancer drugs, ...


References


External links

* *Phillips, D. H., & Burdekin, D. A. (1992). ''Diseases of Forest and Ornamental Trees''. Macmillan.
''Ganoderma applanatum''

''Ganoderma applanatum''
* ttp://www.naturallist.com/fungifun.htm Several drawings created on these fungi {{Taxonbar, from=Q774576 Ganodermataceae Fungi of Europe Fungi of North America Inedible fungi Taxa named by Christiaan Hendrik Persoon