| Laricifomes officinalis | |
|---|---|
| Paul Stamets holding a specimen | |
| Scientific classification | |
| Kingdom: | Fungi |
| Phylum: | Basidiomycota |
| Class: | Basidiomycetes |
| Subclass: | Agaricomycetidae |
| Order: | Polyporales |
| Family: | Fomitopsidaceae |
| Genus: | Laricifomes |
| Species: | L. officinalis |
| Binomial name | |
| Laricifomes officinalis (Vill.) Kotl. & Pouzar, (1957) |
|
| Synonyms | |
|
Agaricum officinale (Vill.) Donk, (1971) [1974] |
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Laricifomes officinalis is a wood-decay fungus in the order Polyporales. It causes brown heart rot on conifers, and is found in Europe, Asia, and North America, as well as Morocco.[1] It is commonly known as agarikon, as well as the quinine conk due to its extremely bitter taste.[2][3] DNA analysis supports L. officinalis as being distinct from the genus Fomitopsis.[4]
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Laricifomes officinalis was used by the Ancient Greeks to treat consumption (tuberculosis) according to the writings of Pedanius Dioscorides in 65 AD,[3] and by some indigenous people to treat small pox. The presence of Agarikon at burial sites may indicate that its use was once widespread.
Wild Agarikon is only found in old-growth forests, and grows on conifers, particularly Douglas-fir (Pseudotsuga) and larch (Larix). Conservation of wild populations of L. officinalis is a concern due to loss of ancient forest habitat. Because it is difficult to maintain long-term genetic integrity of laboratory-grown strains, it is necessary to preserve the mushroom in the wild.
L. officinalis was important both medicinally and spiritually to indigenous peoples of the Pacific Northwest Coast of North America, such as the Tlingit, Haida, and Tsimshian. L. officinalis was referred to as the "bread of ghosts" in local languages, and carved fruiting bodies marked the graves of tribal shamans.[5]
Paul Stamets, pictured above, has suggested the importance of preserving this rare mushroom for the sake of anti-bioterrorism (as small pox still exists for the sake of bioterrorism) and was able to convince the American government to protect certain old growth forests as a matter of national defense. Paul Stamets owns the largest Agaricon culture collection with many strains. They are so rare he only harvests the fruit if the site is threatened with destruction, but instead takes a culture to clone it in his lab.