Reishi?

[Nutball]

I found these white puffs growing where a red maple used to be. The stump had been ground a few years ago. I almost dismissed them until I noticed a familiar color at the base of one, then found a big pair lifting up a brick.

 

[DShroomGuy]

Its looks as if they are reishi. Maybe some very young fruit bodies forming in the first 2 pics. The third definitely is a more developed reishi(or ganoderma rather) of some sort.

[Dave W]

Growing on maple points toward either Ganoderma curtisii or G. sessile. Once the fruit bodies are nearly mature, presence of stalks would indicate G. curtisii, which has almost certainly been used to prepare Reishi (tea or tincture). For years it had been confused with G. lucidum, the classic Resishi polypore. I don't know if G. sessile has been used for this purpose. But, it does qualify as a type of "varnished Ganoderma."  G. sessile has larger spores than G. curtisii. 

[Nutball]

Do you think if I smashed some of the smaller ones between rounds of maple and watered it, I could get them growing on a totem?

[Dave W]

Unlikely. Ganoderma species are cultivatable. But getting that to work requires wayyyy more careful work. 

[Nutball]

This pair really grew fast compared to the rest. No before picture.

[Dave W]

Nice! Very likely G. curtisii. 

[Nutball]

The little one seems to have just grown out of the dirt as the core of the base is mostly dirt. Maybe that's why it only grew that big after all this time.

   

I put a cylinder around this pair to help it grow upward and stay out of the dirt. Also to help maintain humidity since the weather has changed. It turned out well. Now I just need to figure out how best to use them. Info on double extraction doesn't seem as easy to come by.

 

 

[Dave W]

These all grow attached to wood, possibly roots that are buried. 

[Nutball]

One that I harvested was mostly white with just a little gold, the shade may have done that. But it seems to be very low density and smells like french fries when I was drying them. I hadn't baked fries recently, so it's hard to say if the oven gave them that smell or if it came naturally. This one was on the drier side when I harvested it. But still ended up not as dense and tough even after drying as the very moist and fresh picked ones. I wonder if it is no good for medicinal use?

Ever had one smell like fries?

[Dave W]

I have no idea about how the medicinal qualities of Ganoderma fruit bodies varies with morphology.

I don't dry my Ganoderma by baking. I either hang them in a south-facing attic window or slice them and dry in my dehydrator. I've never noticed a French fry odor.  

[Nutball]

I just keep the oven on warm (~150degF), and try to ventilate it some so it isn't too hot. I could have set them in a window. Maybe a drop of oil from something got on the burner.