Wild mushroom harvest by Simbiosis

The Science Behind — Species

The eight mushrooms we chose

We do not sell trends. We sell knowledge distilled into extract: eight species with verified identity and decades of research behind them.

At Simbiosis we work exclusively with eight species of functional mushrooms selected for their verified botanical identity, their richness in active biocompounds and the backing of decades of scientific research.

Every mushroom we offer comes from whole fruiting bodies — not from mycelium grown on grain substrate. That distinction matters: fruiting bodies contain significantly higher concentrations of the biocompounds that give these organisms their medicinal value. We explain it in Extraction Methods and break down their molecules in Biocomponents.

Each species opens its own taxonomic record: the accepted name with its authorship, the full classification, the Index Fungorum and GBIF identifiers, and the note explaining where the name is disputed and why we chose the one we chose. Naming well is the first form of rigour.

01 Reishi (Ganoderma lucidum), fruiting body

Ganoderma lucidum — fruiting body

ReishiGanoderma lucidum

Balance and sleep

Called Lingzhi (“herb of immortality”) in the Chinese texts of the Han dynasty, for centuries it was so scarce that only the nobility could reach it. Today it is the most researched medicinal mushroom in the world, with thousands of published studies.

  • Origin

    East Asia. Grows on oaks and hardwoods of temperate-humid climates.

  • Biocompounds

    Beta-glucans, triterpenes (ganoderic acids A, B, C, H), sterols, adenosine.

  • Functional profile

    Adaptogen, immunomodulator, hepatoprotective, support for deep sleep.

Flavor: Characteristically bitter, a sign of high triterpene concentration. It softens in plant milk or cacao.

See Reishi in the shop Scientific reference [1]
Taxonomic record

The most contested name in our catalogue. Curtis described this fungus in England as Boletus lucidus; Karsten moved it to the genus Ganoderma in 1881. Since 2012, several authors have held that the reishi cultivated in Asia is a separate species, Ganoderma lingzhi Sheng H. Wu, Y. Cao & Y.C. Dai. The GBIF taxonomic backbone currently treats G. lingzhi as a synonym of Ganoderma sichuanense, while G. lucidum remains accepted in both Index Fungorum and GBIF. Simbiosis uses G. lucidum because it is the name in force in both databases, and records the disagreement rather than hiding it.

Checked against Index Fungorum and GBIF on 15/07/2026

02 Lion's Mane (Hericium erinaceus), fruiting body

Hericium erinaceus — fruiting body

Lion's ManeHericium erinaceus

Cognition

In traditional Chinese medicine it was called the “Buddhist monkey head”. In Japan it was food for Zen monks, associated with the mental clarity of prolonged meditation. Modern science confirmed why: it stimulates the synthesis of Nerve Growth Factor (NGF).

  • Origin

    Northern hemisphere. Grows on dead wood of beech, oak and walnut.

  • Biocompounds

    Hericenones (fruiting body), erinacines (mycelium), polysaccharides, beta-glucans.

  • Functional profile

    Natural nootropic, neuroprotective, support for memory and gastrointestinal health.

Flavor: Mild, slightly sweet with hints of seafood when heated. The most versatile in the kitchen.

See Lion's Mane Capsules Scientific reference [2]
Taxonomic record

Described by Bulliard and recombined by Persoon in 1797. It is the quietest of the eight: the name has not moved in over two centuries, with no disputed synonyms and no genus transfers. The epithet erinaceus means hedgehog. The digitised page linked by Index Fungorum is not held at the Biodiversity Heritage Library but at the Bayerische Staatsbibliothek in Munich.

Checked against Index Fungorum and GBIF on 15/07/2026

03 Cordyceps, stromata on host insect

Wild Cordyceps on a host insect. The Simbiosis extract uses cultivated C. militaris.

CordycepsCordyceps militaris

Energy

Used by Tibetan herders who observed how their yaks gained vigor when grazing on it at high altitude. It reached imperial Chinese medicine in the 15th century. In 1993 it leapt onto the Western scientific agenda when athletes broke three world track records.

  • Origin

    Plateaus of the Himalaya and Tibet. The C. militaris we use is cultivated with cordycepin higher than the wild form.

  • Biocompounds

    Cordycepin (3'-deoxyadenosine), adenosine, polysaccharides (CS-4), D-mannitol, sterols.

  • Functional profile

    Cellular energy (ATP), aerobic endurance, VO2 max, muscle recovery.

Flavor: Almost neutral, slightly earthy. The easiest to integrate into any drink.

See Cordyceps Capsules Scientific reference [3]
Taxonomic record

Linnaeus described it within the genus Clavaria; Fries moved it to Cordyceps in 1818. It is the only one of the eight belonging to the phylum Ascomycota; the other seven are Basidiomycota. When Cordyceps in the broad sense was split into several genera, C. militaris stayed in Cordyceps while the celebrated C. sinensis moved to Ophiocordyceps. They are not interchangeable, however often the trade confuses them. The original page — where Fries erects the genus and lists Cord. militaris first among the recognised species — is digitised from the copy held by the Harvard University Botany Libraries.

Checked against Index Fungorum and GBIF on 15/07/2026

04 Turkey Tail (Trametes versicolor), fruiting body

Trametes versicolor — fruiting body

Turkey TailTrametes versicolor

Immunity

The mushroom with the most oncological clinical trials of any medicinal fungus. In Japan, its compound PSK (Krestin) was approved as a chemotherapy adjuvant in the 1980s and remains in active use.

  • Origin

    Cosmopolitan, one of the most widely distributed mushrooms on the planet. Grows on dead wood.

  • Biocompounds

    PSK (polysaccharide K / Krestin), PSP (polysaccharide-peptide), beta-glucans.

  • Functional profile

    Potent immunomodulation, selective prebiotic of the microbiome, antiviral.

Flavor: Mild, slightly earthy. Traditional as a tea in Chinese medicine.

See Turkey Tail in the shop Scientific reference [4]
Taxonomic record

Linnaeus described it within the genus Boletus; Lloyd established the current combination in 1920. Much popular writing — and no small amount of commercial literature — credits the authority to Pilát (1939). Index Fungorum keeps that record but refers it to Lloyd's, and GBIF agrees: the correct authority is (L.) Lloyd. A small, widespread error; correcting it costs nothing and says a great deal.

Checked against Index Fungorum and GBIF on 15/07/2026

05 Chaga (Inonotus obliquus) on birch

Inonotus obliquus — conk on birch

ChagaInonotus obliquus

Antioxidant

Used by Siberian peoples for more than 500 years as a general tonic. Documented in the Russian pharmacopoeia since the 16th century. It holds one of the highest ORAC indices (antioxidant capacity) of any known natural source.

  • Origin

    Boreal forests of the northern hemisphere. Parasitizes white birches for decades.

  • Biocompounds

    Mycelial melanin, betulinic acid, betulinol, superoxide dismutase (SOD), beta-glucans.

  • Functional profile

    Systemic antioxidant, immunomodulator, anti-inflammatory, glycemic regulation.

Flavor: Mild, earthy with notes of vanilla. The most appreciated as a daily infusion.

Caution: Contains oxalates in high concentration. People with a history of kidney stones should consult their doctor before use.

See Chaga in the shop Scientific reference [5]
Taxonomic record
  • Accepted name

    Inonotus obliquus (Fr.) Pilát, 1942

  • Classification

    Basidiomycota › Agaricomycetes › Hymenochaetales › Hymenochaetaceae

  • Databases

    Index Fungorum 315905 (same number in MycoBank) · GBIF 2521089

  • Digitised page

    Index Fungorum offers no digitised page of the original publication for this species; it points only to the index.

Fries described it and Pilát established the current combination in 1942 — the second most recent of the eight. What is harvested, ground and sold as chaga is not the fruiting body but the sclerotium: the black, cracked mass the fungus forms on living birch. The true fruiting body appears under the bark only after the tree has died, is short-lived, and almost nobody has seen it. Index Fungorum offers no digitised page of the original publication for this species; it points only to the index.

Checked against Index Fungorum and GBIF on 15/07/2026

06 Shiitake (Lentinula edodes), fruiting body

Lentinula edodes — fruiting body

ShiitakeLentinula edodes

Immunity and cardio

Cultivated in China since the 12th century. It is at once the source of the deep umami of Asian cuisine and the origin of Lentinan, one of the first mushroom-derived immunomodulators approved as a medicine in Japan.

  • Origin

    East Asia. Grows on hardwoods of chestnut and oak. The second most cultivated mushroom in the world.

  • Biocompounds

    Lentinan (beta-1,3/1,6-glucan), eritadenine, ergosterol (vitamin D2), L-ergothioneine.

  • Functional profile

    Immunomodulator, LDL-lowering (eritadenine), antiviral, functional umami.

Flavor: The most gastronomic of the group: deep, meaty, rich in umami. Fundamental on the menu of our Shrooms Bar & Deli.

See Shiitake in the shop Scientific reference [6]
Taxonomic record
  • Accepted name

    Lentinula edodes (Berk.) Pegler, 1976

  • Classification

    Basidiomycota › Agaricomycetes › Agaricales › Omphalotaceae

  • Databases

    Index Fungorum 316467 (same number in MycoBank) · GBIF 2537743

  • Digitised page

    Index Fungorum offers no digitised page of the original publication for this species; it points only to the index.

Berkeley described it within the genus Agaricus; Pegler established the combination in Lentinula in 1976, the most recent of the eight. Its family is still in motion: GBIF currently places it in Omphalotaceae, while much of the earlier literature placed it in Marasmiaceae or Tricholomataceae. The epithet edodes means edible; shii is the Japanese tree it grows on and take means mushroom. Index Fungorum offers no digitised page of the original publication; it points only to the index.

Checked against Index Fungorum and GBIF on 15/07/2026

07 Maitake (Grifola frondosa), fruiting body

Grifola frondosa — fruiting body

MaitakeGrifola frondosa

Immunity and metabolism

Its name (maitake = dancing mushroom) tells of the joy of those who found it in the forest. Intensely studied since the 1980s, when the Japanese researcher Hiroaki Nanba isolated the D-Fraction, a complex of beta-glucans with high immune activity.

  • Origin

    Northeast Asia and eastern North America. Grows at the foot of oaks and chestnuts in clusters of up to 50 kg.

  • Biocompounds

    Beta-glucans (D-Fraction: beta-1,6/1,3), alpha-glucans, ergosterol, complete protein, B vitamins.

  • Functional profile

    Potent immunomodulator, glycemic and insulin regulation, metabolic support.

Flavor: Meaty, rich, deep forest flavor. Excellent in stir-fries, roasted and in broths.

See Maitake in the shop Scientific reference [7]
Taxonomic record

Dickson described it within the genus Boletus; Gray made the combination in 1821. It shares its order — Polyporales — with reishi and turkey tail, but is the only one of the three that lives in the family Grifolaceae. In Japanese maitake means dancing mushroom; in English it is called hen of the woods, for the shape of its overlapping fronds.

Checked against Index Fungorum and GBIF on 15/07/2026

08 Himematsutake (Agaricus subrufescens), fruiting body

Agaricus subrufescens — fruiting body

HimematsutakeAgaricus subrufescens

Maximum immunity

In Brazil it is called cogumelo do sol (mushroom of the sun). The community of Japanese descendants in Piedade, São Paulo, attributed its extraordinary health indicators to daily consumption. Japanese researchers took it to Japan in 1965 for study. The trade still sells it as Agaricus blazei: the taxonomic record below explains why that name does not belong to it.

  • Origin

    Discovered in the mountains of Piedade, Brazil. Cultivated today mainly in Japan.

  • Biocompounds

    Beta-1,3/1,6-glucans in extraordinary concentration (40–45% dry weight, the highest of the genus Agaricus), ergosterol, tocopherols.

  • Functional profile

    The most potent immunomodulator of the genus Agaricus, hepatoprotective, glycemic regulation.

Flavor: Mild, slightly almond-like with earthy notes. Pleasant as an infusion.

Note: Not available as an individual product. Available in the 8 Mushroom Powder and in the 8 Mushroom Capsules.

See in the 8 Mushroom Powder Scientific reference [8]
Taxonomic record

The most tangled case in our catalogue, and where nearly the whole industry gets it wrong. What is cultivated and sold as Agaricus blazei is in fact Agaricus subrufescens Peck, 1894. Agaricus blazei Murrill, 1945 is a separate, legitimate species — Index Fungorum and GBIF keep it accepted in its own right — whose name was misapplied to the cultivated fungus for decades. Agaricus brasiliensis, proposed in 2002 by Wasser, Didukh, Amazonas and Stamets, is now listed as a synonym of A. subrufescens. Simbiosis has used A. subrufescens from the start.

Checked against Index Fungorum and GBIF on 15/07/2026

Which mushroom is for you

Each species has its own profile. If you are looking for specific support, these are the most direct combinations:

Scientific references

  1. Boh et al. (2007). Ganoderma lucidum and its pharmaceutically active compounds. Biotechnology Annual Review. doi:10.1016/S1387-2656(07)13010-6
  2. Mori et al. (2009). Improving effects of Hericium erinaceus on mild cognitive impairment. Phytotherapy Research. doi:10.1002/ptr.2634
  3. Hirsch et al. (2017). Cordyceps militaris improves tolerance to high-intensity exercise. Journal of Dietary Supplements. doi:10.1080/19390211.2016.1203386
  4. Standish et al. (2008). Trametes versicolor mushroom immune therapy in breast cancer. J. Soc. Integr. Oncol. PMID:19087381
  5. Gery et al. (2018). Chaga, a future potential medicinal fungus in oncology? J. Gastrointest. Cancer. doi:10.1007/s12029-017-0004-5
  6. Bisen et al. (2010). Lentinus edodes: a macrofungus with pharmacological activities. Current Medicinal Chemistry. doi:10.2174/092986710791556022
  7. Nanba (1995). Maitake D-fraction: inhibition of carcinogenesis and metastasis. Ann. N.Y. Acad. Sci. doi:10.1111/j.1749-6632.1995.tb44705.x
  8. Firenzuoli et al. (2008). The Medicinal Mushroom Agaricus blazei Murrill. Evid. Based Complement. Alternat. Med. doi:10.1093/ecam/nem007

All the information on this page is educational in nature and does not constitute medical advice. Simbiosis products are dietary supplements that contribute to well-being, not intended to diagnose, treat, cure or prevent diseases. COFEPRIS notice.