White Fungus (Composed of numerous small, curved strips; yellowish-white or yellowish-brown in appearance)
[Naming]
[Source]
Ben Jing Zhong Pin (Classic of Herbal Medicine, Middle Grade) – Mu Er (Wood Ear)
[Common Use Degree]
C
[Botanical Origin]
Fruiting body of Tremella fuciformis Berk., family Tremellaceae.
[Characteristics]
Dried white fungus is in irregular lump or sheet form, composed of numerous small, curved strips, yellowish-white or yellowish-brown in appearance, and slightly glossy. It is hard and brittle in texture, with a peculiar odor.
The difference between Cordyceps sinensis and Liangshan Cordyceps, C. hawkesii, and Chinese artichoke
Name
Item Cordyceps sinensis Liangshan Cordyceps C. hawkesii Chinese artichoke
Source Composite of stroma and larva cadaver of Cordyceps sinensis Sacc of Ascomycota fungus Cordyceps sinensis Stroma and insect body of Liangshan Cordyceps C. liangs hanensis Zang. Liuet Hu Stroma and insect body of C. Hawkesii Gray Dried stem of Stachys geobombycis C. Y. Wu of Labiatae
Characteristics Insect Body Insect body resembles a silkworm, 3-5cm long, 3-6mm in diameter; yellowish-brown surface, with 20-30 rings, yellowish-red head; 8 pairs of feet on the abdomen, the middle 4 pairs are obvious, and transverse spiracles can be faintly seen above the feet Insect body resembles a silkworm, 3-6cm long, 3-6mm in diameter; brown surface, with 20-30 rings, dark brown-gray head; 8 pairs of feet on the abdomen, the middle feet are not obvious, and dotted spiracles can be faintly seen above or on both sides of the back Insect body resembles a silkworm, 3-4cm long, 4-5mm in diameter; off-white surface, with 20-30 rings, dark brown-black head; 8 pairs of feet on the abdomen, the middle 4 pairs are not obvious, and dotted spiracles can be seen on both sides of the back Block-shaped, fusiform, 1.5-3cm long, 0.4-0.8cm in diameter, yellowish-white to gray-black surface; with 4-15 rings, internodes 0.2-0.4cm long, no feet or spiracles on the abdomen
Stroma Stroma is as long as the insect body, about 2mm in diameter, with sterile tips at the top, 1.5-4.5mm long Stroma is slender, about 10mm, 1-2mm in diameter, with no sterile tips at the top Stroma is longer than the insect body, about 3-8cm long, 3-8mm in diameter, the swollen part has no sterile tips at the top No stroma
Water immersion Swelling is not obvious Swelling is not obvious Swelling is not obvious Segments are obvious after swelling
Odor Slightly spicy, slightly fishy, slightly bitter taste Slightly spicy, slightly bitter taste Slightly fragrant, slightly bland or slightly salty No odor, slightly sweet and viscous taste
Microscopic
(Cross-section) Cross-section of the head of the stroma: Ascocarp is elliptical, elongated towards the stem, 238-255μm long, 110-145μm wide, brown around, arranged on the outer periphery of the cross-section, most of which are embedded in the ascostroma, filled with mycelium Ascocarp protrudes from the surface of the stroma, stroma is elliptical, ascospores are linear, transverse septum is obvious Ascocarp is elliptical, arranged in a single layer, buried in the stroma Cortical and phloem parenchyma cells are polygonal, spiral and reticulate vessels, medullary parenchyma cells are subcircular, filled with starch grains
Insect body Shaped like a silkworm, 3~5cm long, 0.3~0.8 cm in diameter, feet are obvious, spiracles are not obvious, ring patterns are 20~30 Shaped like a silkworm, 3~6cm long, 0.6~1 cm in diameter, feet and spiracles are not obvious, ring patterns are 20~30 Shaped like a silkworm, 3~4.5 cm long, 0.4~0.6 cm in diameter, feet and spiracles are obvious, ring patterns are 10~20 Slightly curved fusiform, 1.5~5 cm long, 0.4~0.8 cm in diameter, with dotted root scars, ring patterns are 3~15
Stroma Flat and curved thin rod-shaped, dark brown surface, with sterile apex at the top Linear, yellowish-brown surface, with sterile apex at the top, a few have upper bifurcation Long rod-shaped, gray-brown surface, without sterile apex at the top, a few have upper bifurcation No stroma
[Identification]
Good quality is indicated by dryness, shiny cream color, large head, light body, thick gelatinous substance, and large expansion after soaking.
[Section]
Fungi and Algae