This fungus is mainly found in meadows above 3,500 METRES( 11,500 FEET)
Nature
Prized Medicinal Plants and Animals
For thousands of years, humans have tapped into the plethora of plants and animals on Earth for medicine and food. We take a look at six of the most valuable natural medicines our planet offers.
CATERPILLAR FUNGUS Ophiocordyceps sinensis
This queer-looking ingredient usually sold in Chinese medicine shops is an entomopathogenic fungus( a fungus that grows on insects) that grows out of a caterpillar of the ghost moth, killing it and producing a long, thin mushroom. For this reason, its Chinese name dong chong xia cao reflects its identity as being both a worm and a“ grass” in different seasons. It is found mainly in soft soil on mountains or well-drained grassy marshlands above 3,500 metres in the Himalayan regions of Nepal, Bhutan, India and Tibet. Widely used as a medicine and tonic by the Chinese for hundreds of years, the fungus, more commonly known as cordyceps, is taken to increase strength, rejuvenate the body, reduce stress and improve sexual performance. It is also believed to cure heart, respiratory, renal and liver diseases. Some reports suggest that it has been sold at over USD80,000 per kilogram, though typical per-kilo prices are in the USD100 range.
This fungus is mainly found in meadows above 3,500 METRES( 11,500 FEET)
in the Himalayan regions of Nepal, Bhutan, India and Tibet
DID YOU KNOW?
The fungus germinates in the living larva and kills it. As it grows, a dark brown, stalk-like fruiting body, a few centimeters long, emerges from the corpse