Agaricus subrufescens (almond mushroom, mushroom of the sun)
The almond mushroom is one of the few edible and medicinal mushrooms native to the Brazilian rainforest. There, it is called "Cogumelo de Deus" (God's mushroom) due to the impressive powers attributed to it. This mushroom, which has earned a leading position among the world's medicinal mushrooms because of its special characteristics, has been quickly adopted into medicinal traditions in Asia, where it is mainly cultivated today. It does not grow on decaying wood like many of its congeners, but requires fermented soil, making its cultivation very demanding. Agaricus subrufescens, also known as mushroom of the sun, is one of the few mushrooms that grows and thrives in direct sunlight.
This intensively researched mushroom has been found to contain the highest concentration of long-chain polysaccharides, particularly beta-glucans, of any edible mushroom — higher even than well-known reishi and shiitake.