Ganoderma lucidum - Mushroom annual, sometimes 2 - 3 years old. In the shape of a semicircular, kidney-shaped or console-shaped, with lateral, eccentric or central stem, less often without the stipe. Adherent to wood with a lateral appendage similar to the stipe. Width 30 to 80 mm, length 100 to 250 mm and thickness 20 to 30 mm. Very changeable, it looks like it was made of lacquer, hence its Polish name.
The cap is initially ocher, red, red, cherry, then red-brown, red-brown, at the end purple-brown or black-red, lighter, yellowish-brown, concentrically brindled. The surface is as if lacquered and shiny, because it is covered with a shiny skin, matte only when covered with a thick layer of spores fallen from higher fruiting bodies. It is uneven, usually concentrically striated, composed of brown cylindrical or clavate cells set palisadically. The border is rounded, sometimes sharp, in its youth whitish, straw-yellow or yellowish, inert to 2 to 5 mm wide.
Tubes usually single-layered, less often in two or three layers, ocher color, length 5 to 20mm.
The leeks are initially whitish, creamy, later brownish in color, after snuff drying. In fresh specimens darkening when touched. Circular in shape, small, diameter 0.15 to 0.25 mm.
Stem lateral, eccentric, rarely central, long, often bent. Thicknesses 10 to 20 mm and length 50 to 150 mm. Surface as if lacquered and shiny, like a hat and the same color as the hat. Inside full.
The flesh is white or off-white, and just above the tubes the color of wood or light-brown, spongy - corky. In the cross section, indistinctly brindle. Hard, after drying, woody. The smell and taste are not outstanding.
Occurrence: in forests, on deciduous wood. Exceptionally attacks live trees. Rare in Poland. It grows in summer and autumn.
Value: Edible fungus suitable only for drying. Has healing properties.