Chicken-of-the-woods mushroom

Chicken-of-the-woods mushroom

　　Also known as ji tuzong, ji jun, or termite mushroom. It belongs to the fungi classification of Termitomyces and Sinotermitomyces genera. Yunnan boasts 12 native species, among which Sinotermitomyces carneipes and Sinotermitomyces cavipes are endemic to the province. Yunnan is the main production area of Chicken-of-the-woods mushrooms in China, yielding over 2,000 tons annually. The cap of the Chicken-of-the-woods mushroom is smooth and powdery, resembling chicken feathers, with a raised central portion shaped like a straw rain hat. The stem is cylindrical to spindle-shaped, often featuring unequal-length pseudorhizae at the base that connect to the base plate. It grows singly or in clusters on or near termite mounds during summer and autumn. The flesh is tender, resilient, and tastes like chicken fibers, containing a variety of amino acids, riboflavin, niacin, vitamin C, as well as minerals such as calcium and phosphorus. The mushroom has a sweet and delicious flavor with a fragrant aroma, and offers medicinal benefits such as improving stomach health, refreshing the mind, and treating hemorrhoids. It is a renowned wild edible and medicinal mushroom that combines both food and therapeutic qualities. Yunnan’s canned oil-infused Chicken-of-the-woods mushroom is quite popular in the market. Its mycelium has been successfully cultivated on Difeo medium.