Chinese Caterpillar Fungus

Ophiocordyceps sinensis, formerly Cordyceps sinensis and known as caterpillar fungus, is an insect-killing fungus found mainly on the Tibetan Plateau and in the Himalayas at 3,000 to 5,000 metres. It parasitises the larvae of ghost moths: the fungus grows inside the living larva, kills and mummifies it, and sends up a fruiting body, an upright stalk usually 4 to 10 centimetres long, from the corpse. Herbalists value the hand-collected, intact fungus-and-caterpillar body in traditional Chinese, Tibetan and Nepalese medicine, where it is marketed as an aphrodisiac and for other health benefits, though the source says the evidence for safety and effectiveness is insufficient. Its cost makes it a status symbol. Overharvesting has led to its classification as endangered in China, and the fruiting bodies are not cultivated commercially outside China, though the mycelium can be grown in vitro. Since 2016 its sale has been strictly regulated by China's State Administration for Market Regulation.