Imagine a miniature universe, where microscopic particles hold the secret to the life of entire species. This is the world of fungal spores, biological marvels that contain within a few microns all the information needed to generate new individuals...
When we talk about Ganoderma lucidum, we are not dealing with a simple mushroom, but a true monument to global mycotherapy. Known in the East as Lingzhi (靈芝, "spirit plant") and in the West as Reishi, this extraordinary basidiomycete boasts a history of medicinal use that dates back to the mists of time, with documented references as early as the Shen Nong Ben Cao Jing (3rd century AD), the oldest Chinese pharmacopoeia treatise.
Walking in a humid summer forest, among moss and dead leaves, the expert eye searches for that particular golden yellow mushroom that stands out like a sun among the humid undergrowth. It is the Chantarellus cibarius, known in Italy as finferlo, gallinaccio or giallitto, one of the most loved and sought-after mushrooms, a true jewel of mycology and wild gastronomy.
