Lei Wan (Thunderball) (Irregular mass, gray-brown to black, hard in texture and not easily broken)
Lei Wan (Thunderball) Slices (Translucent thin slices, yellow-white to yellow-brown, cartilaginous, mostly with white ring-like fine patterns)
【Name】
【Source】
Shen Nong’s Classic of Materia Medica, Lower Grade
【Common Usage Level】
D
【Botanical Origin】
The dried sclerotium of the fungus Omphalia lapidescens Schroet. in the family Polyporaceae.
【Characteristics】
It appears as an irregular mass, mostly between 1~2㎝ in diameter, with the largest reaching 3.5㎝. The outer surface is reddish-brown to gray-black, with fine, raised wrinkles on the surface. The texture is firm and heavy, with a powdery white to light yellow fracture surface. The odor is not obvious, and the taste is slightly mucilaginous.
The prepared slices are circular or oval, translucent thin slices, yellowish-white or light yellowish-brown, with numerous white fine lines, about 1㎝ in diameter, and the epidermis is slightly reddish-brown.
【Identification】
《Ming Yi Bie Lu》: “The white ones are good.”. 《Zheng Lei Ben Cao》: “Fan Zi said: Lei Shi is produced in Hanzhong, and the white ones are good.”. 《Pu Ji Fang》: “Lei Wan, the white ones inside when broken open are good, do not use the red ones, as they kill people.”. 《Ben Cao Pin Hui Jing Yao》: “Connected in clusters like meat balls, the white ones are good.”. 《Ben Cao Qiu Zhen》: “The ones with black skin and white flesh are good.”.
The ones with firm texture, gray-brown outer skin, light inner color, and uniform particles are considered good.
【Category】
Fungi and Algae