Flammulina filiformis
Edible enoki mushroom, distinct from European Flammulina velutipes.
**Flammulina filiformis**, known commonly as the enoki mushroom, is a gilled fungus belonging to the Physalacriaceae family. For a long time, it was thought to be the same species as Europe's *Flammulina velutipes*, but DNA analysis has since confirmed they are separate species. It is grown extensively for food across East Asia, featuring prominently in both Japanese and Chinese cooking.
**Taxonomy** First described in China in 2015 as a variety of *F. velutipes*—based on internal transcribed spacer sequences—further genetic work using multiple sequences later demonstrated that *F. filiformis* and *F. velutipes* are distinct and should be treated as different species.
**Etymology** In Japanese, it is called *enoki-take* or *enoki-dake*, meaning "hackberry mushroom," because it commonly grows at the base of hackberry (*enoki*) trees. In Mandarin Chinese, it is *jīnzhēngū* ("gold needle mushroom") or *jīngū* ("gold mushroom"). In Korean, it is *paengi beoseot* ("mushroom planted near catalpa"), in Vietnamese *nấm kim châm*, and in India it is known as *futu*.
**Description** The fruit bodies grow in clusters and are agaricoid. The cap starts convex, flattens with age, and reaches up to 4.5 cm across. Its surface is smooth, sticky when damp, and ochraceous yellow to yellow-brown. The gills are cream to yellowish white. The stem is up to 8.5 mm long, smooth, pale yellow at the top, and yellow-brown to dark brown near the base, with no ring. The spore print is white, and the spores are inamyloid, smooth, and ellipsoid to cylindrical (about 5–7 by 3–3.5 μm). Wild and cultivated forms look very different: cultivated enokitake are grown in darkness, producing white or pale fruit bodies with long stems and tiny caps.
**Distribution and habitat** This fungus grows on dead wood of broad-leaved trees such as *Betula platyphylla*, *Broussonetia papyrifera*, *Dipentodon sinicus*, *Neolitsea* species, and *Salix* species. It occurs naturally in China, Korea, and Japan.
**Nutrition** Enoki mushrooms are 88% water, 8% carbohydrates, 3% protein, and contain negligible fat. In a 100-gram serving, they provide 37 calories and are a rich source of niacin (46% DV) and pantothenic acid (28% DV), with moderate amounts of thiamine, riboflavin, folate, and potassium (12–19% DV).
**Uses** *F. filiformis* has been cultivated in China since 800 AD. By 2010, annual comm
- field
- Mycology
- known_for
- Edible mushroom cultivated in East Asia; formerly considered conspecific with Flammulina velutipes
- native_range
- China, Korea, Japan
- first_described
- 2015 as a variety of F. velutipes, later recognized as distinct species
Lore & Background
Flammulina filiformis was originally described from China in 2015 as a variety of F. velutipes, based on internal transcribed spacer sequences. Further molecular research using a combination of different sequences has shown that F. filiformis and F. velutipes are distinct and should be recognized as separate species. The fungus is found on dead wood of Betula platyphylla, Broussonetia papyrifera, Dipentodon sinicus, Neolitsea sp., Salix spp, and other broad-leaved trees, and grows naturally in China, Korea, and Japan.
Reader's Guide
Flammulina filiformis is significant as a widely cultivated edible mushroom in East Asia, with commercial production in China estimated at 1.57 million tonnes per annum in 2010 and Japan producing an additional 140,000 tonnes per annum. Its cultivation dates to 800 AD in China. The mushroom is notable for the dramatic difference between wild and cultivated forms: cultivated enokitake are grown in the dark, producing white or pallid fruit bodies with long stipes and small caps, while wild specimens have ochraceous yellow to yellow-brown caps and shorter stems. The species is a rich source of niacin and pantothenic acid, and is used in soups, salads, and other dishes. Research has explored its potential to improve food products, including adding stem waste powder to meat products to increase dietary fiber and ash content, and using mushroom residue as a feed additive for livestock to enhance antioxidant enzyme activity and digestibility. Food safety authorities advise cooking enoki mushrooms before consumption due to potential contamination with Listeria monocytogenes.
Did You Know?
- Flammulina filiformis was originally described from China in 2015 as a variety of F. velutipes, but DNA sequencing later showed them to be distinct species.
- Cultivated enokitake are grown in the dark, resulting in white or pallid fruit bodies with long stipes and small caps, unlike wild specimens.
- In a 100 g reference amount, enoki mushrooms provide 37 calories and are a rich source of niacin (46% DV) and pantothenic acid (28% DV).
- The mushroom is known as enoki-take in Japanese, meaning 'hackberry mushroom', because it is often found growing at the base of hackberry trees.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is Flammulina filiformis?
It is the scientific name for the enoki mushroom, a gilled fungus in the Physalacriaceae family that is widely cultivated and eaten throughout East Asia.
How is Flammulina filiformis different from Flammulina velutipes?
For years, mycologists assumed the two were the same species, but DNA sequencing work revealed they are genetically distinct organisms. The filiformis species is the one native to East Asia, while velutipes is the European counterpart.
Where is Flammulina filiformis native to?
Its natural range spans China, Korea, and Japan, and it has become a staple of both Japanese and Chinese cuisine through large-scale commercial cultivation.
What role does Flammulina filiformis play in cooking?
It is grown on a massive commercial scale across East Asia specifically as a food mushroom, appearing in a wide variety of Japanese and Chinese dishes.
When was Flammulina filiformis officially recognized as its own species?
It was first described in 2015, initially classified as a variety of F. velutipes based on ITS sequence data. Subsequent multi-locus genetic analysis then confirmed it warranted full species status.
More in Fungi And Fungus-Like Organisms 1-24
Spotted an error? Know more?
This is a living reference — every entry is fact-audited, and reader corrections feed straight into our audit queue. Suggest an edit · See this site's audit record