National Museum of Natural Science

Distribution of this species, called fu ling in Chinese, is the temperate zones of East Asia and North America. It grows on trees of the Pinus genus. The sclerotium is used medicinally. If the sclerotium is pressed against the tree root it is referred to as "fu shen". This fungus species has diuretic and sedative properties and can help to relieve anxiety, purge heat, prevent miscarriage and lower blood sugar. It is especially used to relieve coughing and as a diuretic, and is commonly used as food, for example, fu ling cake, fu ling candy and guilinggao (turtle jelly dessert). The well-known "four herbs soup" contains Wolfiporia cocos.

Wolfiporia cocos