No specific permits were required for the described field sampling because the locations are not privately-owned or protected in any way and the field studies did not involve endangered or protected species.

Some 113 collections, including 48 samples of commercially cultivated ‘G. lucidum’ (Ling-zhi) from China, 55 field collections identified as the same species, and 10 specimens of G. sichuanense (types, authentic material and recent collections from the type locality) were examined morphologically. In addition, five related laccate species, i.e. G. multipileum, G. tropicum (Jungh.) Bres., G. weberianum (Sacc.) Steyaert, G. resinaceum Boud. as well as the true G. lucidum, were selected for comparison according to published molecular phylogeny of Ganoderma [17], [27] and the similar results derived from analyses of cumulated molecular data (unpublished) by this group. Ganoderma multipileum and G. tropicum were the sister groups of ‘G. lucidum’ (Ling-zhi) in the same clade and distributed in China; and G. resinaceum and G. weberianum were the representatives of another clade which also comprised laccate species with light-coloured context. A total of 45 collections of these five species were examined and one representative collection of each species was used for molecular analyses and illustration. Extraction of genomic DNA from 118 collections and from three living strains named ‘G. lucidum’ and one strain of Tomophagus colossus (Fr.) Murrill (to serve as an outgroup) deposited in the China General Microbiological Culture Collection Center (CGMCC) was performed. Amplification of DNA fragments from 28 collections and the four living strains was successfully obtained. These collections and living strains were included in phylogenetic analyses. Sources of the specimens and strains used in this study are listed in Table 1. Voucher specimens were preserved in the Fungarium, Institute of Microbiology, Chinese Academy of Sciences (HMAS). The strains were stored at 4°C on potato dextrose agar (PDA) medium and sub-cultivated at 25°C in liquid PDA medium for 14 days to collect the mycelia for DNA extraction.

Morphological observations mainly followed the methods described previously by Wang et al. [28]. A 5% KOH solution was used as the mounting medium. Microscopic characters were observed using a light microscope (Zeiss Axiophot). Images were captured with a Zeiss Axiocam MRc digital camera using Differential Interference Contrast (DIC) microscopy and the AxioVision Rel.4.6.3 acquisition software (Zeiss). At least 30 basidiospores of each mature specimen were measured and the basidiospore size was given both with and without the myxosporium in the species description. The Q-value (length: breadth ratios) for each spore was calculated and the mean value was used in the description.

Genomic DNA from specimens and fresh fungal cultures was isolated by using the modified cetyltrimethylammonium bromide (CTAB) method as described by Jiang and Yao [29]. The ITS region, including the intervening 5.8S gene, was amplified from the total DNA using the primers ITS5 and ITS4 [30]. The primers CNL12 and 5SA-Anderson were used to amplify the IGS region [31]. For the amplification of rpb2, the primers bRPB2-6F and bRPB2-7.1R [32] were used. PCR amplification was carried out according to the procedures described by Wang and Yao [33]. Purified PCR products were sequenced by the cyclic reaction termination method on an ABI Prism 3730 genetic analyzer (Applied Biosystems). Each fragment was sequenced in both directions for confirmation, and the sequences of the two strands were assembled with the software ContigExpress (Vector NTI Suite 6.0, InforMax Inc.).

Five ITS sequences from the five related laccate species with light-coloured context examined morphologically above, and one from Tomophagus colossus (as outgroup) were retrieved from GenBank and aligned with those sequences of the same region obtained in this study for confirmation of species identity. Sequences of all the three gene partitions obtained were compiled into a combined matrix. The sequences were aligned using Clustal X 1.81 [34] and then further manually adjusted using BioEdit 5.0.6 [35]. Maximum parsimony (MP) analyses were performed using a heuristic search in PAUP 4.0b10 for Macintosh [36], with the random addition of sequences with 1,000 replicates, tree bisection-reconnection as the branch-swapping algorithm, one tree held at each step during stepwise addition, and the MULTREES option off. Gaps were treated as missing data. Bootstrap values were calculated from 1,000 replicates, with 10 heuristic searches per replicate. Bayesian Metropolis coupled Markov chain Monte Carlo (B-MCMCMC) analyses were implemented in MrBayes 3.1.2 [37] and Modeltest 3.7 [38] was used to select the best-fit models and the parameters of DNA substitution. Bayesian analyses involved 1,000,000 generations, two independent runs with four Markov chains and sampling trees every one-hundredth generation. The average split frequencies were checked to determine optimal convergence of the chains below 0.01. A 50% majority-rule consensus tree was constructed after the exclusion of the first 25% of trees from the first stage of the run (burn-in).

High variability was observed in macroscopic characters of the Chinese ‘G. lucidum’ (Ling-zhi), especially in those cultivated samples (Fig. 1). Seven characters of basidiomata were examined for their variability. The results showed that the shape of pileus varied from reniform to subcircular and also from convex to concave (Figs. 1-A-1 to 1-A-4); the length of stipe was from very short (less than the pileus radius, inconspicuous in Fig. 1-B-2) to long (more than the pileus radius, Fig. 1-B-1); attachment of the stipe to the pileus varied from lateral to nearly central (Figs. 1-C-1 and 1-C-2); the surface of pileus was either with radial furrows or with concentrically sulcate zones (Figs. 1-D-1 and 1-D-2); the thickness of pileus appeared from one layer (thinner than 1 cm) to several layers (often thicker that 1 cm; Figs. 1-E-1 and 1-E-2); the colour of pore surface varied from whitish to yellowish (Figs. 1-F-1, 1-F-2, 1-C-1 and 1-C-2); the length of tube layer was from short (less than one third of the pileus thickness) to long (more than one third of the pileus thickness; Figs. 1-G-1 and 1-G-2). The morphological variability was found not only in different specimens but also often seen in a single collection (Fig. 2). Attachment of stipe to the pileus varied from nearly central to lateral (Figs. 2-A and 2-B) and pileus thickness varied from very thin to considerably thick (Figs. 2-C and 2-D).

Specimens named as G. sichuanense, including the holotype (HMAS 42798), paratype (HMAS 43728), an authentic specimen (HMAS 47694) and four recent collections from the type locality (HMAS 251145–251148), were examined for comparison with the cultivated Chinese ‘G. lucidum’ (Ling-zhi) and are shown in Fig. 3 (only HMAS 251146 was used in the figure to represent the recent field collections from the type locality). The authentic specimen and the field collection of G. sichuanense were stipitate while the stipes of the holotype and the paratype seemed missing or lacking (Figs. 3-A-1, 3-B-1, 3-C-1, 3-D-1). All the specimens shared the characters of radial furrows on the pileus surface (Figs. 3-A-1, 3-B-1, 3-C-1, 3-D-1), a more or less yellowish brown pore surface (Figs. 3-A-2, 3-B-2, 3-C-2, 3-D-2), and an hymeniodermiformic cutises (Figs. 3-A-3, 3-B-3, 3-C-3, 3-D-3); but the paratype specimen (HMAS 43728) was found to be different from the others in the shape of the pileus (flabelliform in the paratype, while reniform and convex in the others, Figs. 3-A-1, 3-B-1, 3-C-1, 3-D-1), the shape of cutis elements (long and subcylindrical in the paratype but short and clavate in the others, Figs. 3-A-3, 3-B-3, 3-C-3, 3-D-3), Bovista-type ligative hyphae (lacking in the paratype but present in the others, Figs. 3-A-4, 3-B-4, 3-C-4, 3-D-4), and the size and ornament of basidiospores (smaller, less than 9.5 µm long cum myxosp., and slightly echinulate in the paratype, while larger, more than 9.5 µm long cum myxosp., and strongly echinulate basidiospores in the others, Figs. 3-A-5, 3-B-5, 3-C-5, 3-D-5).

Microscopically, the cultivated Chinese ‘G. lucidum’ (Ling-zhi) was characterised by hymeniodermiformic cutis, short and clavate cutis elements of 20–40×7–15 µm, Bovista-type ligative hyphae and strongly echinulate basidiospores of 9.0–11.5×6.0–8.0 µm cum myxosp. and 6.5–8.5×5.0–6.5 µm sine myxosp. (Figs. 3-E-1 to 3-E-5), the same as those found in the holotype, authentic specimens and recent collections of G. sichuanense examined above. Microscopic differences between the cultivated samples and the paratype of G. sichuanense were also discovered in the hyphal system, the shape of cutis elements and the size and ornament of basidiospores (Figs. 3-E-3 to 3-E-5).

The shape of the pileus of the five related laccate species examined in this study varied from flabelliform and concave (G. multipileum) to flabelliform and convex (G. tropicum, G. weberianum, G. resinaceum and G. lucidum), and stipes occurred in all species except for G. resinaceum (Figs. 4-A-1, 4-B-1, 4-C-1, 4-E-1). The pore surface was whitish and the cutis was hymeniodermiformic in all the five species (Figs. 4-A-2, 4-B-2, 4-C-2, 4-D-2, 4-E-2), but the shape of cutis elements was different. Cutis elements were clavate in G. tropicum and G. resinaceum and subcylindrical in G. multipileum, G. weberianum and G. lucidum, while they were short (20–40 µm) in G. tropicum and G. multipileum, moderate (30–60 µm) in G. weberianum and G. resinaceum and very long (50–80 µm) in G. lucidum (Figs. 4-A-3, 4-B-3, 4-C-3, 4-D-3, 4-E-3). Bovista-type ligative hyphae occurred in G. multipileum but not in the other four species (Figs. 4-A-4, 4-B-4, 4-C-4, 4-D-4, 4-E-4). Basidiospores were very short (7.0–9.5 µm long cum myxosp.) in G. weberianum, moderate (9.0–11.5 µm long cum myxosp.) in G. multipileum and G. tropicum and long (11.0–13.5 µm ilong cum myxosp.) in G. resinaceum and G. lucidum; and slightly echinulate in G. multipileum, G. weberianum and G. resinaceum while strongly echinulate in G. tropicum and G. lucidum (Figs. 4-A-5, 4-B-5, 4-C-5, 4-D-5, 4-E-5).

A total of 32 ITS sequences from 28 specimens (five field collections determined as ‘G. lucidum’ by S.C. Teng or J.D. Zhao, 13 cultivated Chinese ‘G. lucidum’, five field collections of G. sichuanense from its type locality and five related laccate Ganoderma species) and four living strains (including the out group) were obtained. Attempts for DNA extraction from the holotype, paratype and authentic specimens of G. sichuanense failed. Several methods of DNA extraction, such as Wizard® Genomic DNA Purification Kit (Promega, U.S.A.), Chelex 100 Resin (Solarbio, China) and CTAB method, were employed for the holotype, but the specimen was found to be contaminated by an ascomycete, a species of Eurotium, through ITS sequencing. A basidiomycete-specific primer pair (ITS1F and ITS4B) [39] was also used to obtain ITS sequence from the holotype in PCR amplifications but no positive reaction resulted from this work. IGS sequences were successfully obtained from 20 samples, including four field collections of G. sichuanense, seven cultivated Chinese ‘G. lucidum’, five related species and four living strains. Some 13 rpb2 sequences were obtained from three field collections of G. sichuanense, one cultivated Chinese ‘G. lucidum’, five related species and four living strains. All the sequences generated in this study were submitted to GenBank with accession numbers of JF915393–915436, JN197275–197290 and JQ081068–081070 (Table 1).

The combined 3-gene dataset with 38 taxa consisted of 2179 base pairs (ITS 561 bp, IGS 1037 bp and rpb2 581 bp), of which 324 were parsimony informative (ITS 85 bp, IGS 161 bp and rpb2 78 bp). A total of 13 taxa (one cultivated Chinese ‘G. lucidum’, three G. sichuanense field collections, five related species and four living strains) were complete for all the three genes partitions (Table 1). Maximum-parsimony (MP) analyses of the dataset yielded 947 equally parsimonious trees (length = 897, CI = 0.8016, RI = 0.7764). Tamura-Nei (TrN) model of DNA substitution with gamma-distributed rate variation across invariant sites was determined as best-fit for the combined 3-gene Bayesian analyses. Since the topology of the Bayesian consensus tree was nearly identical to that of MP analyses, one of the 947 equally parsimonious trees was presented in Fig. 5 with bootstrap values of MP analyses and posterior probabilities of Bayesian analyses.

Six major terminal clades were recognized from the combined 3-gene analyses, i.e. the Chinese ‘G. lucidum’ (including the field collections of G. sichuanense), G. multipileum, G. tropicum, G. weberianum, G. resinaceum and the true G. lucidum clades (Fig. 5). The five additional ITS sequences of the related laccate species and the one of Tomophagus colossus retrieved from GenBank clustered well with those sequences of corresponding species obtained in this study, forming the terminal clades. All the clades received support of over 85% bootstrap proportions (BP) in MP analyses and of 1.00 posterior probabilities (PP) in Bayesian analyses. Ganoderma multipileum and G. tropicum further formed a group with support of BP = 93% and PP = 1.00, sister to the lineage of the Chinese ‘G. lucidum’, and G. resinaceum and G. weberianum formed another group (BP = 100%, PP = 1.00).

In the Chinese ‘G. lucidum’ clade, a total of 26 samples included five field collections of ‘G. lucidum’ named by S.C. Teng or J.D. Zhao, 13 Chinese cultivated ‘G. lucidum’, three living strains of ‘G. lucidum’ and five G. sichuanense field collections. The clade received very strong support by both MP and Bayesian analyses (BP = 100%, PP = 1.00) and was phylogenetically separated from the true G. lucidum from England in the 3-gene analyses (Fig. 5).

Morphological similarities and differences of the six species of Ganoderma are presented in the table in Fig. 5. Letters A to G in the table represent seven macroscopic characters of basidiomata as depicted in Fig. 1, showing the high variability of the Chinese ‘G. lucidum’ in macroscopic morphology. It was noted that samples of the Chinese ‘G. lucidum’ varied in each of the seven characters. Letters H and I in the table represent macroscopic similarities of the six species in the appearance of basidiomata (laccate or nonlaccate) and the colour of the context (light-coloured or dark brown). Letters J to N indicate microscopic differences of the six species in the length and shape of cutis elements, presence of Bovista-type ligative hyphae and the length and ornament of the basidiospores.

From the table in Fig. 5, the five related laccate species of Ganoderma differed from the cultivated Chinese ‘G. lucidum’ in microscopic characters denoted by the letters J–N, i.e. G. multipileum in subcylindrical cutis elements (K-2) and slightly echinulate basidiospores (N-2); G. tropicum in the absence of Bovista-type ligative hyphae (L-2); G. weberianum in the longer and subcylindrical cutis elements (J-2 and K-2, 30–60 µm long), the absence of Bovista-type ligative hyphae (L-2), and the smaller and slightly echinulate basidiospores (M-1 and N-2, 7.0–9.5×5.0–7.5 µm cum myxosp.); G. resinaceum in the longer cutis elements (J-2, 30–60 µm long), the absence of Bovista-type ligative hyphae (L-2), and the larger and slightly echinulate basidiospores (M-3 and N-2, 11.0–13.5×7.5–9.5 µm cum myxosp.); the true G. lucidum from Europe in the longer and subcylindrical cutis elements (J-3 and K-2, 50–80 µm long), the absence of Bovista-type ligative hyphae (L-2) and the larger basidiospores (M-3, 11.0–13.5×8.5–10.0 µm cum myxosp.).

Based on both morphological and molecular data obtained in this study, the cultivated Chinese ‘G. lucidum’ (Ling-zhi) is clarified here as conspecific with G. sichuanense. Since the original description of G. sichuanense was based on very limited specimens and some published data were in contradiction with that obtained during this study, a new full description of G. sichuanense is provided here:

Ganoderma sichuanense J.D. Zhao & X.Q. Zhang, Acta Mycologica Sinica 2:159. 1983. Figs. 1, 2, 3-A, 3-C, 3-D and 3-E.

Misapplied name: Ganoderma lucidum sensu S.C. Teng, Sinensia 5: 198. 1934.

Basidomata annual, stipitate, corky to woody. Pileus 3.0–14.5×6.0–15.5 cm, 0.5–2.5 cm thick, dimidiate, reniform to suborbicular, concave or convex; upper surface yellowish brown to bay, laccate, sometimes with radial furrows and concentrically sulcate zones; margin cream-coloured to concolourous with the pileus, acute to obtuse. Pore 4–6 per mm, suborbicular, rarely angular; surface whitish to yellow brown, darker when bruised; tubes up to 0.5–13 mm long, cinnamon. Stipe 2.0–9.0 cm long, 1.0–4.0 cm thick, lateral to eccentric, cylindrical or flattened, bay to black, laccate. Context 3.0–20 mm thick, cream-coloured to buff, darker near the tube layer, with or without black, horn-like layer in the context; hyphal system trimitic; generative hyphae hyaline, thin-walled, 4.0–7.0 µm diam., with clamp-connexions; skeletal hyphae near hyaline to yellow brown in 5% KOH, thick-walled to solid, aciculiform or arboriform, 3.5–9.5 µm diam.; ligative hyphae near hyaline to yellowish-brown, thick-walled, branched, 2.0–4.0 µm diam., typically Bovista-type. Basidiospores ovoid, truncate or not at the apex; yellowish-brown, with a dark brown eusporium bearing thick echinulae, overlaid by a hyaline myxosporium, (8.0–) 9.0–11.5 (–12.5)×(5.5–) 6.0–8.0 (–8.5) µm cum myxosp. and (5.0–) 6.5–8.5 (–9.5)×(4.5–) 5.0–6.5 (–7.0) µm sine myxosp., Q = 1.40. Basidia not seen. Cutis hymeniodermiformic, yellowish brown, elements clavate, about 20–40 µm long and 7–15 µm thick at the top.

CHINA: ANHUI PROVINCE, Lu’an, Huoshan, cultivated, 2009, R.J. Xi & X.C. Wang SY7, HMAS 240186; Lu’an, Jinzhai, cultivated, 2009, R.J. Xi & X.C. Wang SY3, HMAS 250676; ibid., SY4, HMAS 250678. BEIJING CITY, Haidian, cultivated, Jun. 1959, Z. Deng, HMAS 25103; Haidian, cultivated, s.d., s.coll., 141, HMAS 42780; Haidian, cultivated, 2009, R.J. Xi & X.C. Wang SY22, HMAS 240190; Huairou, cultivated from CGMCC 5.65 labeled as ‘G. lucidum’, Aug. 2003, X.L. Li & D.M. Wang, HMAS 99391; Mentougou, Tanzhesi Temple, Jul. 1959, G.Z. Lu, HMAS 25035; ibid., 24 Aug. 1959, W.X. Wang & C.X. Pan, HMAS 25907; ibid., Aug. 1960, s.coll., HMAS 31634; Mentougou, Tanzhesi Temple, on ground, 25 Jul. 1958, S.C. Teng 6084, HMAS 23565; ibid., on stump of Quercus sp., 27 Sept. 1955, S.J. Han, HMAS 17003; ibid., 25 Jul. 1958, S.C. Teng 6086, HMAS 22581. FUJIAN PROVINCE, Fuzhou, cultivated, 2009, R.J. Xi & X.C. Wang SY2, HMAS 240177. GUANGXI PROVINCE, Baise, Longlin, on stump, 14 Oct. 1957, L.W. Hsu 3, HMAS 20754; Tianlin, 1997, W.Z. Ge, HMAS 77941. GUIZHOU PROVINCE, Bijie, Weining, on tree, 11 Oct. 1930, Y. Jiang 9155, HMAS 7487; Ceheng, on ground, 7 Oct. 1958, Q.Z. Wang 486, HMAS 25910; Ceheng, on rotten wood, 20 July 1985, X.L. Wu 844, HMAS 62418; Dushan, on dead tree, 19 Aug. 1930, Y. Jiang 6475, HMAS 7750; Duyun, on deak oak, 13 Jul. 1930, Y. Jiang 5825, HMAS 7510; Tongshan, on stump, 30 Jul. 1930, Y. Jiang 6121, HMAS 7513. HAINAN PROVINCE, Changjiang, Bawangling, Mar. 1978, Y.G. Meng HN1115, HMAS 37879; ibid., HN1116, HMAS 37730; ibid., HN1119, HMAS 37880. HEBEI PROVINCE, Shijiazhuang, Yuanshi, 15 Feb. 1975, Z.Q. Cao 132, HMAS 42534; Xingtai, Neiqiu, Sept. 1950, X.Y. Liu & F. Zhao, HMAS 15956; Zhangjiakou, Zhuolu, Mt. Dongling, 1935, s.coll., 629, HMAS 15941. HENAN PROVINCE, 1989, s. coll., HMAS 59482; Sanmenxia, Lushi, cultivated, 2009, R.J. Xi & X.C. Wang SY20, HMAS 240175; Zhumadian, Queshan, cultivated, 2009, R.J. Xi & X.C. Wang SY19, HMAS 250672. HUBEI PROVINCE, Wuhan, 17 Sept. 1982, s.coll., HMAS 47337. HUNAN PROVINCE, s.d., S.J. Han 127, HMAS 51730; Longshan, on ground, 25 Sept. 1958, L.S. Liang 900, HMAS 28128. JIANGSU PROVINCE, on oak stump, 16 Jun. 1947, C.K. Chow 1, HMAS 7515; Nanjing, Linggusi Temple, on stump, 18 Jun. 1929, S.C. Teng 412, HMAS 7511; ibid., 24 May 1931, S.C. Teng 413, HMAS 7514; Nanjing, Linggusi Temple, 12 Jul. 1936, G.L. Lu 2462, HMAS 7502; ibid., Sept. 1958, G.J. Lin & W.X. Wang, HMAS 23543; Nanjing, on stump in mixed broadleaf-conifer forests, 16 Jul. 1960, J.Z. Ying & H.Z. Li, HMAS 28125; ibid., HMAS 28126; ibid., 17 Jul. 1960, J.Z. Ying & H.Z. Li, HMAS 29745; Nantong, cultivated, 2009, X.C. Wang SY36, HMAS 250677; ibid., SY37, HMAS 250679; ibid., SY38, HMAS 260752; Wuxi, Yixing, 29 Aug. 1933, X.K. Deng 455, HMAS 7512. JIANGXI PROVINCE, Shangrao, cultivated, 3 Sept. 1998, J.M. Jia, HMAS 62503; Yanshan, Mt. Huanggang, 1936, X.K. Deng 17820, HMAS 16488; ibid., X.K. Deng 17607, HMAS 16489. JILIN PROVINCE, Changchun, cultivated, 2009, R.J. Xi & X.C. Wang SY12, HMAS 240179; Jiaohe, cultivated, 2009, R.J. Xi & X.C. Wang SY17, HMAS 240183; ibid., SY18, HMAS 240191. LIAONING PROVINCE, Dalian, cultivated, s.d., F. Ji, HMAS 76763. SHANDONG PROVINCE, Heze, cultivated, s.d., s.coll., HMAS 59481; Laiwu, cultivated, 13 Mar. 2002, HMAS 77022; Liaocheng, Guan Xian, cultivated, 2009, R.J. Xi & X.C. Wang SY9, HMAS 240184; ibid., SY10, HMAS 250675; ibid., SY11, HMAS 240181; ibid., SY16, HMAS 240178; ibid., SY23, HMAS 240189; Qingdao, Mt. Lao, Oct. 1935, F.Y. Huang 553, HMAS 15484; ibid., F.Y. Huang 555, HMAS 16294; Tai’an, 2000, D.J. Ren 1, HMAS 99390; Tai’an, cultivated, 21 Sept. 1990, X.Q. Zhang 1, HMAS 60537; Tai’an, cultivated, 21 Sept. 1990, s.coll., HMAS 60542; Tai’an, cultivated, 26 Nov. 2001, N. Li, HMAS 76698; Tai’an, cultivated, 2009, X.C. Wang, SY1, HMAS 250673; Yantai, Changdao, 15 Sept. 1958, W.X. Wang, HMAS 23564. SHANGHAI CITY, cultivated, 24 Nov. 1975, s.coll., 143, HMAS 42745; ibid., 147, HMAS 42743; ibid., 148, HMAS 42746; cultivated, 1976, s.coll., 1073, HMAS 38010; Jiading, cultivated, 2009, R.J. Xi & X.C. Wang SY15, HMAS 240180; Minhang, cultivated, 28 Aug. 2001, W.L. Chen, HMAS 77009; Minhang, cultivated, 2009, R.J. Xi & X.C. Wang SY13, HMAS 240182; Xuhui, cultivated, 18 Dec. 2000, B.H. Yu, HMAS 76566. SHAANXI PROVINCE, Xi’an, cultivated, s.d., X.M. Zhang, HMAS 77010. SHANXI PROVINCE, on rotten wood, 3 Aug. 1933, E. Licent, HMAS 30199. SICHUAN PROVINCE, s.d., s.coll., HMAS 16295; cultivated, 2003, B. Wang, Chuanzhi no.6, HMAS 99396; ibid., GL8031, HMAS 130131; Chengdu, cultivated, 6 Mar. 2002, J.L. Wei, HMAS 77019; Langzhong, cultivated, 2 Mar. 2001, X.M. Zhou, HMAS 76615; Liangshan, Dechang, 14 Aug. 2003, H. Deng 347, HMAS 130128; Panzhihua, on rotten wood of broad-leaved tree, 1976, C.M. Li 116, HMAS 42798 (HOLOTYPE of G. sichuanense J.D. Zhao & X.Q. Zhang); Panzhihua, 2 Aug. 1982, S.C. Chen 1018, HMAS 47694; Panzhihua City, Yanbian County, Yumen Town, 2 Aug. 2010, X.C. Wang L1, HMAS 251145; ibid., L6, HMAS 251146; Miyi County, Binggu Town, 5 Aug. 2010, X.C. Wang L14, HMAS 251147; ibid., L21, HMAS 251148; Wanyuan, on stump of Juglans sp., 16 Aug. 1958, Y.N. Yu & Y.S. Xing 1002, HMAS 28127. XIZANG PROVINCE, Lhasa, cultivated, 2009, Y. Li SY34, HMAS 240185; ibid., SY35, HMAS 250674. YUNNAN PROVINCE, Dali, Xiaguan, on rotten wood, 24 Aug. 1985, Q.X. Wu 570, HMAS 48243; Kunming, on stump of Quercus sp., 1942, W.F. Chiu, HMAS 17524; Kunming, 1979, X.H. Chen, HMAS 42605; Kunming, on ground in woods, Aug. 1989, T.S. Zhou 1072, HMAS 60538; Lijiang, Huaping, 28 May 1955, s.coll., Y208, HMAS 18652; Wenshan, Guangnan, on ground, 25 Jun. 1959, Q.Z. Wang 538, HMAS 25068; Guangnan, on ground in woods, 27 Jun. 1959, Q.Z. Wang 679, HMAS 25069; ibid., Q.Z. Wang 709, HMAS 27078; Guangnan, on ground in woods, 30 Jun. 1959, Q.Z. Wang 757, HMAS 26553; Qiubei, on ground in woods, 15 Jul. 1959, Q.Z. Wang 792, HMAS 25073; Qiubei, on ground in woods, 16 Jul. 1959, Q.Z. Wang 834, HMAS 25066; Qiubei, on ground in woods, 17 Jul. 1959, Q.Z. Wang 870, HMAS 25067. ZHEJIANG PROVINCE, Hangzhou, Lin’an, Mt. Tianmu, on stump, 24 Jun. 1932, S.C. Teng 1110, HMAS 7499; Jinhua, Lanxi, on base of Acer sp., Jul. 1977, L.G. Chen 1080, HMAS 38011; Lishui, Jingning, cultivated, 2009, R.J. Xi & X.C. Wang SY26, HMAS 240176; Qingyuan, cultivated, 2009, R.J. Xi & X.C. Wang SY32, HMAS 240187; Taizhou, Huangyan, cultivated, s.d., L.F. Gan 146, HMAS 42781. VIETNAM: Nghe An, Quy Chau, Mar. 1963, s.coll., 50, HMAS 32875.

According to the original description of G. sichuanense [40], the size range of basidiospores was 7.4–9.5×5–7 µm cum myxosp. This range was later revised as 7.8–10.4×5.2–6.4 µm cum myxosp. [23], [24]. However, a large number of basidiospores were found in the holotype of G. sichuanense in this study and the size range of basidiospores was measured as 9.0–11.5×6.5–8.0 µm cum myxosp., larger than the figures given by the original authors, but not distinct from those of basidiospores found in other specimens examined here.

The small size range of basidiospores mentioned in Zhao et al. [40] might be attributed to the paratype of G. sichuanense (HMAS 43728), in which basidiospores were 8.0–8.5×6.0–6.5 µm cum myxosp. However, this specimen was re-determined as G. weberianum in this study based on microscopic characters, i.e. long and subcylindrical cutis elements (45–60×10–18 µm), colourless skeletal and ligative hyphae, absent of Bovista-type ligative hyphae, small and slightly echinulate basidiospores, and presence of chlamydospores in context.

A total of 70 specimens were identified as ‘G. lucidum’ by S.C. Teng [19]. Among them, 62 were preserved in HMAS but eight appear to be missing. There were also 29 specimens named as ‘G. lucidum’ by J.D. Zhao in HMAS. All these 91 named specimens of ‘G. lucidum’ were examined morphologically in this study and 63 (40 from Teng and 23 from Zhao) were re-determined as G. sichuanense based on the characters described here. Of the remaining 22 specimens named by Teng, five were re-determined by Zhao as G. hainanense (three), G. kunmingense (one) or Haddowia longipes (Lév.) Steyaert (one) and confirmed in this study, while 17 were re-determined in this study as G. hainanense (13), G. mongolicum (two) or G. weberianum (two). Among the remaining six specimens named by Zhao, four were re-determined here as G. multipileum, one as G. hainanense and one as G. weberianum. It should be noted that both S.C. Teng and J.D. Zhao applied a broad species concept to ‘G. lucidum’ including several Ganoderma species, but most of them (nearly 65% of specimens from Teng and 80% from Zhao) were G. sichuanense. Genomic DNA was successfully obtained from seven specimens identified as ‘G. lucidum’ by Teng (two) and by Zhao (five, Table 1), and their re-determination as G. sichuanense was further confirmed by analyses of these DNA sequences. Most of the specimens examined here were named ‘G. lucidum’ by various researchers and it can be concluded that G. lucidum sensu Chinese authors is in fact G. sichuanense.