cordyceps h|s|g http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cordyceps_sinensis "There are over 680 documented species of the sac fungus genus Ophiocordyceps, and one of the best known of these is Ophiocordyceps sinensis, colloquially known as caterpillar fungus. The fungus is known in Tibetan as yartsa gunbu or yatsa gunbu, and in Chinese as dong chong xia cao (Chinese: 冬虫夏草; literally "winter worm, summer grass"). Caterpillar fungi are the result of a parasitic relationship between the fungus and the larva of the ghost moth genus Thitarodes, several species of which live on the Tibetan Plateau (Tibet, Qinghai, West-Sichuan, SW-Gansu & NW Yunnan), and the Himalayas (India, Nepal, Bhutan). The fungus germinates in living organisms (in some cases larvae), kills and mummifies the insect, and then the fungus grows from the body of the insect. O. sinensis is known in the West as a medicinal mushroom, and its use has a long history in Traditional Chinese medicine as well as Traditional Tibetan medicine.[2] The hand-collected fungus-caterpillar combination is valued by herbalists and as a status symbol;[3] it is used as an aphrodisiac and treatment for ailments such as fatigue and cancer, although such use is mainly based on traditional Chinese medicine and anecdote. Recent research however seems to indicate a variety of beneficial effects in animal testing, including increased physical endurance through heightened ATP production in rats.[4]" 121115 ... xsg oxygen 221001 ... unhinged on my bucket list of wild mushrooms to find after finding many examples of the unbelievably tiny and cute mushrooms that devour pinecones around here, even ones growing from buried cones, i think i'm ready for wild cordyceps. it's literally been the driest summer ever around here and basically still summer even though the equinox technically changed already...might be another bad year for wild shrooms :( 221001 what's it to you? who go blather from