| Lentinula | |
|---|---|
| Lentinula edodes | |
| Scientific classification | |
| Kingdom: | Fungi |
| Phylum: | Basidiomycota |
| Class: | Agaricomycetes |
| Order: | Agaricales |
| Family: | Omphalotaceae |
| Genus: |
Lentinula Earle |
| Type species | |
|
Lentinula cubensis (Berk. & Curtis) Earle ex Pegler |
|
Lentinula is a small genus of wood-inhabiting agarics. The neotropical species Lentinula boryana (= L. cubensis) is the type species. However, the best-known species is L. edodes, the shiitake. The genus, erected by Franklin Sumner Earle in 1909, contains eight species, especially in tropical regions.