Progress on the species of medicinal fungus Inonotus sanghuang.

Inonotus sanghuang was mentioned in traditional Chinese medicinal books around 2 000 years ago. However, this species had been misinterpreted for many years and was in fact an undescribed species until 2012. Until now, seven species in Sanghuang complex were found in China, and I. sanghuang was the real Sanghuanggrowing on Morus alba in East Asia. The main characteristics and colour photos for seven species of the Sanghuang complex were supplied. Five species of I. linteus complex were found in tropical America, all these species were not found in Asia. Phellinus igniarius complex, another group of medicinal fungi, was also mentioned as so-called Sanghuang, but it had hyaline basidiospores, while basidiospores in the I. sanghuang complex are yellowish-brown. Moreover, both groups of fungi are not related in phylogeny. Colour photos for the species in both American I. linteus complex and Chinese P. igniarius complex were provided.