Cordyceps is a genus of ascomycete fungi that includes about 400 described species. All Cordyceps species are endoparasitoids, mainly on insects and other arthropods; a few are parasitic on other fungi. The Latin etymology describes cord as "club", ceps as "head", and sinensis as "chinese". Cordyceps sinensis, known in English commonly as caterpillar fungus is considered a medicinal mushroom in oriental medicines, such as Traditional Chinese Medicines and Traditional Tibetan medicine. When a Cordyceps fungus attacks a host, the mycelium invades and eventually replaces the host tissue, while the elongated fruiting body (stroma) may be cylindrical, branched, or of complex shape. Some Cordyceps species are able to affect the behavior of their insect host; Cordyceps unilateralis causes ants to climb a plant and attach there before they die. This ensures the parasite's environment is of the optimal temperature and humidity, and maximal distribution of the spores from the fruiting body that sprouts out of the dead insect is achieved. The genus has a worldwide distribution and most of the approximately 400 species have been described from Asia (notably China, Japan, Korea and Thailand). Cordyceps species are particularly abundant and diverse in humid temperate and tropical forests. Some Cordyceps species are sources of biochemicals with interesting biological and pharmacological properties, like cordycepin; the source of ciclosporin — a drug helpful in human organ transplants, as it suppresses the immune system. According to Modern Marvels, a show on the History Channel, mushroom hunters in Tibet can earn $900 dollars for an ounce of cordyceps. [READ THE REST OF THIS ARTICLE]
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