''Ganoderma microsporum'' is a species of ''

Ganoderma ''Ganoderma'' is a genus of polypore fungi in the family Ganodermataceae that includes about 80 species, many from tropical regions. They have a high genetic diversity and are used in traditional Asian medicines. ''Ganoderma'' can be differen ...

'' mushroom native to Taiwan that grows on

willow tree Willows are a genus of trees. Willow Tree may refer to: Places * Willow Tree, New South Wales, a village in Australia * Willow Tree railway station, in Australia * Willow Tree (LIRR station), a railway station in New York Entertainment * "Wil ...

s. The

specific epithet In taxonomy, binomial nomenclature ("two-term naming system"), also called nomenclature ("two-name naming system") or binary nomenclature, is a formal system of naming species of living things by giving each a name composed of two parts, bot ...

''microsporum'' refers to the small size of its

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, ...

, measuring 6–8.5 by 4.5–5

μm The micrometre ( international spelling as used by the International Bureau of Weights and Measures; SI symbol: μm) or micrometer (American spelling), also commonly known as a micron, is a unit of length in the International System of Unit ...

, which is smaller than the spores of all other known types of ''Ganoderma''.

Appearance

''Ganoderma microsporum'' has a relatively short or obscure stem that appears bronze or dark purple. The cap is shelf like or unevenly shaped and has a glazed appearance.許. 靈芝概論. 台中市: 萬年出版社. 1993: 140.

Discovery

''Ganoderma microsporum'' was first discovered in Taipei, Taiwan by R.-S. Hseu in 1982, and published in the scientific journal ''

Mycotaxon ''Mycotaxon'' is a peer-reviewed scientific journal that covers the nomenclature and taxonomy of fungi, including lichens. The journal was founded by Grégoire L. Hennebert and Richard P. Korf in 1974. They were frustrated that papers submitted to ...

'' in 1989.

Research

Compounds discovered in ''Ganoderma'' include

polysaccharides Polysaccharides (), or polycarbohydrates, are the most abundant carbohydrates found in food. They are long chain polymeric carbohydrates composed of monosaccharide units bound together by glycosidic linkages. This carbohydrate can react with w ...

, triterpenoids,

nucleic acids Nucleic acids are biopolymers, macromolecules, essential to all known forms of life. They are composed of nucleotides, which are the monomers made of three components: a 5-carbon sugar, a phosphate group and a nitrogenous base. The two main cl ...

and

fungal immunomodulatory protein Fungal immunomodulatory proteins (FIPs) are a type of functional compound (other compounds include polysaccharides and triterpenoids) found in various species of fungi. FIPs are part of the immunoglobulin (ig) family, which are structurally simil ...

s or FIPs. According to the NIH PubMed database on the physiological activities of ''G. microsporum'', primarily from the FIP found in ''G. microsporum'' (FIP-gmi or GMI), currently known physiological activities include effects on the central nervous system and the respiratory system.

References

Ganodermataceae Fungi of Taiwan Fungi described in 1989 {{Taiwan-stub