Cordyceps blog                       Cordyceps Expeditions to Tibet                Cordyceps Corner   Pages on Cordyceps species including Ophiocordyceps , Elaphocordyceps , Cordyceps and their anamorphs (Hirsutella, Isaria  etc.) There were over 600 species described as Cordyceps, but then came the genus review by Sung, Hywel-Jones, Sung, Luangsa-ard, Shrestha and Spatafora in 2007 and Cordyceps was divided into Cordyceps, Ophiocordyceps, Elaphocordyceps and Metacordyceps. All Ophiocordyceps species including Ophiocordyceps sinensis were placed in the new family Ophiocordycipitaceae. Reference: Sung, G. H., N. Hywel-Jones, J. M. Sung, J. J. Luangsa-ard, B. Shrestha, & J. Spatafora. 2007.  Phylogenetic Classification of Cordyceps and the Clavicipitaceous Fungi. Studies in Mycology 57:5-59. When looking for Cordyceps / Ophiocordyceps sinensis please visit my "Cordyceps Corner" New: Illustrious Ophiocordyceps-species from the rain forest in Ecuador		(Ophiocordyceps sinensis page)
Thin-stemmed Isaria (Isaria tenuipes), an anamorph of Cordyceps was growing on a larva in the woods below Chari Goenba. The white powder are conidia, cells that function like spores in Cordyceps anamorph. © Daniel Winkler, near Chari Gonpa, Bhutan, Sept. 2009	Another Isaria species growing in the same location. Here the mummified insect has been exposed. The insect was killed by the Isaria fungus and serves as nutrional base. © Daniel Winkler, near Chari Gonpa, Bhutan, Sept. 2009
A dried specimen of cultivated Cordyceps militaris. Cultivators have managed not only to grow the mycelium as in the case of Ophiocordyceps sinensis, but are able to induce stroma growth [which has been claimed for the first time in early 2010 for O. sinensis]. Artificial cultivation has made C. militaris a much more reasonable alternative to O. sinensis. Photo: May 2004 © Daniel Winkler	Cordyceps militaris Cordyceps militaris cultivated on bred larvae shown at the IMMC5 exhibition. In early 2009 an article on how Cordycepin, one of the active ingredients in Cordyceps militaris [and O. sinensis] is working in fighting cancer cells. Photo: Nantong, September 2, 2009 © Daniel Winkler
What an incredible shot! Bryce Kendrick encountered this spider in Ecuador killed by a fungus, probably Cordyceps ignota Marchion (this species was not reviewed in Sung et al. 2007, so it remains for the time being in Cordyceps). According to Bryce, the spider is Tarantula (Theraphosidae) within the infraorder Mygalomorphae. Photo: Bryce Kendrick Check out Bryce's incredible webpages		Excellent BBC movie showing a tropical Cordyceps taking over an ant. A Scarabaeus digested by a Cordyceps species, maybe from the Cordyceps martialis group. As Larry says, "Cordyceps is one of the most disturbing and useful sorts of medicinal mushrooms ever discovered, growing here on a scarab beetle. The Upper Amazon basin is a world biodiversity hotspot of these insect-eating fungi." Jan. 2007, Madidi, Bolivia © Larry Evans Link to Larry's Fungal Jungal Link to Ecuador MushRoaming 2010 tour
		Larry Millman found this larva near Boston. The larva (length 2.7cm), probably of a tussock moth, has been infected by Hirsutella, an anamorph of Ophiocordyceps, according to Kathie Hodges, mycology professor at Cornell. Joe Warfel took these great photos (Joe is into macro photography.   Copyright: Joe Warfel, April 2010

Ophiocordyceps robertsii from New Zealand where it is known as awheto or aweto by the Maori. The Maori people burn this caterpillar fungus and use the ash as tattoo ink. "Aweto" is also sometimes used in "Chinglish" when Chinese English-language articles report about caterpillar fungus (Ophiocordyceps sinensis) in Tibet or China. Photo: Regi , Whenua, unfinished
Elaphocordyceps capitata (Holmsk.) G.H. Sung, J.M. Sung & Spatafora = Cordyceps capitata (Holmsk.) Link  "The new genus Elaphocordyceps is proposed for a subclade of the Ophiocordycipitaceae, which includes all species of Cordyceps that parasitize the fungal genus Elaphomyces and some closely related species that parasitize arthropods"  (Sung et al. 2007).
A rare 5 headed Drumstick Truffleclub - Elaphocordyceps capitata.  © Daniel Winkler, Dec. 2011, Found near Florence, Oregon Coast. Formerly Cordyceps capitata (Holmsk.) Link and now Elaphocordyceps capitata (Holmsk.) G.H. Sung, J.M. Sung & Spatafora is growing from an underground Elaphomyces deer truffle species . Elaphocordyceps capita has immersed perithecia and a capitate, darkish fertile "cap". E.capitata is distributed over the whole northern hemisphere. Here a more typical one headed specimen sliced open for display. © Daniel Winkler, Dec. 2011, Found near Florence, Oregon Coast. A transect of the fertile head of the Drumstick Truffleclub.  Elaphocordyceps capitata's stem is clearly distinguished from the fertile tissue containing the perithecia. Note the tough outer layer in which the perithecia embedded. To the left is a close up. Disected Elaphomyces (deer truffle, E. muricatus?) with young stroma of Elaphocordyceps capitata sprouting out of the rind. Photo: Langdon Cook [author of Fat of the Land] 2008 WA Elaphocordyceps ophioglossoides, Snaketongue Truffleclub on Elaphomyces truffle, that have been dissected. Found on the Olympic peninsular by Christian Schwarz Photo: © Daniel Winkler, Oct. 18, 2011 There has been research in China and Japan on the medicinal propensities of closely related Elaphocordyceps ophioglossoides, which seems to have estrogenic substances.	I am not sure what causes the growth of 5 heads from one Elaphomyces granulatus-deer truffle, but I have observed in Ophiocordyceps sinensis that double or multiple heads usually occur after the immature stroma was injured, most commonly fed on by a mycophagous insect. Right next to this specimen grew another one that had half of its stem based chewed off. Photo: © Daniel Winkler, Dec. 2011, near Florence, Oregon Coast. Photo: © Daniel Winkler, Nov. 2008, Olympic Peninsula, WA Here an even closer look: A crusty outer layer protects the perithecia, the spore producing organs that contain the asco-sacs are embedded. Photo: © Daniel Winkler, Dec. 2011, Found near Florence, Oregon Coast. Spores being released from the perithecia of Elaphocordyceps ophioglossoides. Cordyceps militaris on a butterfly pupa found SE of Seattle by Marian Maxwell. Photo: © Daniel Winkler, Oct. 18, 2011. Cordyceps militaris stroma structure. Photo: © Daniel Winkler, Oct. 18, 2011.
If you would like to use any of my photos please contact me by email. or the other photographers. Page erected May 1, 2010, last update 12-20-2011