Key to the laccate <i>Ganoderma</i> species in the United States.

Members of the laccate Ganoderma are have shiny or varnished pilei, and can be sessile, stipitate or pseudostipitate. The context tissue of the laccate Ganoderma species is corky to felty in texture, and generally white, cream to light buff, or cinnamon brown. Context tissue can have melanoid/resinous bands and/or concentric growth zones present or absent. Some taxa produce contextual chlamydospores that are double-walled, hyaline to pigmented, and ornamented or smooth. The basidiospores are double-walled, golden-brown in 5% KOH, echinulated and generally broadly ovoid to elliptical with a truncated apex at maturity. Ecologically these species are associated with a white rot type decay typically on hardwood, coniferous, or palm substrates. Disclaimer: This key is solely based on morphology, host preference and known geographic distributions of the laccate Gaonderma present in the U.S. based on this study.