In recent years, the scientific names of many cultivated and well-known medicinal fungal species have been changed. However, the results of taxonomic and nomenclature works on these economically important fungi are often overlooked or ignored in applied researches. The incorrect use of scientific names may cause uncertainty in research and in the global medicinal mushroom market. In this paper, we briefly review the current taxonomy and nomenclature of “Fuling” medicinal mushroom and make a proposal for biochemists, pharmacists and businessmen on the correct use of scientific names related to this species. Based on the recent taxonomic results and nomenclatural proposals, the use of the names Wolfiporia extensa, W. cocos and especially Poria cocos for the “Fuling” mushroom are incorrect and misleading; therefore, the acceptance of the names Pachyma hoelen or Wolfiporia hoelen is recommended.

Cystoderma comprises the species with heavily universal veil remnants on basidiomes, weakly to strongly amyloid basidiospores, evanescent floccose-scaly ring zone or persistent membranous ring, which were often encountered in forests and grassland. However, they were less studied than other mushroom groups mainly because of its unclearly phylogenetic position. In this study, we gathered 16 specimens from Southwest and Northwest China, where were the richest biodiversity areas in China, and produced their ITS and nrLSU sequences. The related morphological examinations and molecular phylogenetic analysis showed they belonged to eight species, of which four were new species, and named as Cystoderma lilaceum, C. pseudoamianthinum, C. rugosolateritium, C. subglobisporum, and of which two were new records from China, and they were C. granosum, C. subvinaceum. New species and new records were described in details and discussed with other species. This study not only showed the novel geographical distributions as well as high species diversity of Cystoderma in China, but also provided more research data for the further studies in mushrooms systematics.

The production of a distinct profile of volatile organic compounds plays a crucial role in the ecology of hypogeous Ascomycetes, and is also key to their gastronomic relevance. In this study, we explored the aroma components of two rarely investigated Chinese desert truffles, namely Mattirolomyces terfezioides and Choiromyces cerebriformis, using headspace solid-phase microextraction (HS-SPME) coupled with gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (GC-MS). Our investigation revealed the significant presence of sulphur-containing volatiles in the aroma of M. terfezioides but not in C. cerebriformis. We discussed available information on the distribution of these interesting truffles in China and their use as choice food by local people.

Ophiocordyceps sinensis is a well-known entomogenous fungus with its fruiting bodies or cultural mycelium as food and herbal medicines in Asia. While metabolites which could responsible for its potent pharmaceutical effects has long remained to be elucidated. In this work, chemical investigation on the solid culture of O. sinensis strain LY34 led to the discovery of six digalactosyldiacylglycerols (DGDGS, 1–6) including one new. The structure of compound 1 was determined based on the comprehensive spectra analysis, including NMR, MSn, IR, and chemical derivatisation. Bioactivity studies showed a weak cytotoxicity of compounds 1–6 against 293 T cell and medium anti-inflammatory activity of compounds 1 and 2 on Raw 264.7 cell. The discovery of DGDGs in O. sinensis provides new insight into the pharmacologically active substances.

Polysaccharides in boletes (Boletales) are economically significant to both function food and medicinal industries. The polysaccharides were extracted from the fruit bodies of eight boletes, namely, Aureoboletus longicollis, Butyriboletus hainanensis, Crocinoboletus rufoaureus, Hemioporus japonicus, Neoboletus infuscatus, Neoboletus obscureumbrinus, Tylopilus otsuensis, Xanthoconium fusciceps, which were collected from tropical China; their physicochemical properties and antioxidant activities were characterised and evaluated, respectively. The results revealed that the polysaccharides among the eight boletes were mainly composed of glucose, mannose, and galactose, with a broad molecular weight range, and contained a pyranose ring revealed by FT-IR and NMR spectral analyses. Many factors such as different species of boletes, geographic conditions, molecular weight, configuration, and monosaccharide content may affect the antioxidant power of polysaccharides, simultaneously, instead of one single factor. The antioxidant activities of the polysaccharides were measured according to in vitro assays of DPPH scavenging, superoxide anion scavenging, and ferrous ion reducing tests. The polysaccharide of C. rufoaureus has greatly superior antioxidant activity and it could serve as potential functional food or medicine.

3, 4-Dihydroxy-2, 2-dimethyl-chroman derivatives have diverse physiological properties. A polyketone (3S, 4S)-3, 4-Dihydroxy-6-methoxy-2, 2-dimethylchromom (3S, 4S-DMD) with antibacterial activity was isolated from the solid culture of rare edible fungus Panus lecomtei. However, the yield of 3S, 4S-DMD in solid culture of P. lecomtei is very low and the production period are too long. In this work, efficient accumulation of 3S, 4S-DMD in P. lecomtei by submerged fermentation is studied. The key fermentation factors of P. lecomtei for 3S, 4S-DMD production were optimised by single-factor experiment successively, and then a Box-Behnken design (BBD) experiment was carried out to further enhance 3S, 4S-DMD production. A maximum 3S, 4S-DMD yield of 196.3 mg/L was obtained at 25.78 g/L glucose, 1.67g/L MgSO₄ · 7H₂O, 40°C and 197 r/min, respectively, which increased by 1.3-fold in comparison with that in the non-optimised fermentation conditions. Furthermore, an enhanced yield of 3S, 4S-DMD (261.6 mg/L) was obtained in 5-Lagitated fermenter. The 3S, 4S-DMD productivity in flask and fermenter reached to 7.26 and 8.07 mg/g per day, respectively, which considerably increased by over 121-fold in comparison with that in the solid fermentation (0.06 mg/g per day). This study presents a potential method for the production of 3S, 4S-DMD by submerged fermentation.

Species of Gyroporus from southern China were studied in this study. Based on morphology and molecular phylogenetic analyses of DNA sequences from the nuclear ribosomal internal transcribed spacer (ITS), the nuclear ribosomal large subunit (nrLSU), and the mitochondrial adenosine triphosphate ATP synthase subunit 6 (atp6), Gyroporus was divided into four main branches in the phylogenetic tree, and four sections were firstly proposed i.e. Gyroporus sect. Castaneus, G. sect. Cyanescens, G. sect. Longicystidiatus and G. sect. Pallidus. Five new species, i.e. G. alboluteus, G. atrocyanescens, G. pseudolongicystidiatus, G. pallidus and G. subcaerulescens, were revealed from China, and their phylogenetic positions were also analysed. Among them, G. alboluteus and G. pallidus were nested into the sect. Pallidus, although morphologically similar to G. castaneus; G. atrocyanescens and G. subcaerulescens, with obvious cyanescent oxidation reactions, were nested into the sect. Cyanescens; and G. pseudolongicystidiatus characterised by its long cystidia and was nested into the sect. Longicystidiatus. The new species were formally described and illustrated in the present study, and a key to the sections and species of Gyroporus in China was provided.