Latest Introduction to the Regional Distribution of Cordyceps sinensis Cultivation

Because Cordyceps sinensis has a narrow distribution range, a low natural parasitism rate, and strict requirements for its living environment, its resources are relatively limited. In recent years, due to severe man-made damage to the ecological environment of the main producing areas of Cordyceps sinensis, large-scale blind and unreasonable harvesting has caused resources to dwindle day by day and output to decline year by year. Main distribution areas: Cordyceps sinensis on the Qinghai-Tibet Plateau is distributed in Nagqu Prefecture, Nyingchi Prefecture, and Qamdo Prefecture in Tibet; the Yushu area and Golog Prefecture in Qinghai; Rangtang in Aba Prefecture, Sichuan; Litang, Batang, and Dege in Garze Prefecture; the area north of Deqin and Zhongdian in Diqing Prefecture, Yunnan; and the area west of Maqu in Gannan Prefecture, Gansu.

Cordyceps sinensis is mainly produced in the upper reaches of the three river basins of the Jinsha River, Lancang River, and Nu River. It extends east to Liangshan in Sichuan Province, west to Burang County in Tibet, north to Minshan in Gansu Province, and south to the Himalayas and Yulong Snow Mountain in Yunnan Province. The output of Cordyceps from Tibet accounts for about 40% of the national Cordyceps output, Sichuan Province accounts for about 40% of the national Cordyceps output, and Yunnan Province and Qinghai Province each account for around 10% of Cordyceps output.

Cordyceps refers to the general term for fungi of the broader genus Cordyceps, including Cordyceps sinensis. The species of Cordyceps are basically named according to the morphological characteristics of their sexual generation, host, place name, or personal name, so each species name in the genus Cordyceps is the name of an individual Cordyceps fungus. More than 400 species of Cordyceps have been discovered, and “Cordyceps sinensis” specifically refers to the Cordyceps sinensis unique to China, with the Qinghai-Tibet Plateau as its main producing area.

Cordyceps fungi belong to the kingdom Fungi, phylum Fungi, subphylum Ascomycotina, class Pyrenomycetes, order Clavicipitales, family Clavicipitaceae, and genus Cordyceps in the biological world. They parasitize insects, arachnids, Elaphomyces fungi, and Claviceps fungi and form fruiting bodies, constituting a large and diverse group that is widely distributed worldwide.

There are many kinds of Cordyceps, including Cordyceps sinensis, Cordyceps asiatica, Cordyceps liangshanensis, Cordyceps xinjiangensis, Cordyceps ramosa, Cordyceps hawkesii, Cordyceps militaris, Cordyceps wuyishanensis, Cordyceps longdongensis, Cordyceps zhangjiajieensis, Cordyceps datadingensis, Cordyceps multiseptata, Cordyceps tenuipes, Cordyceps nutans, Cordyceps jiangxiensis, Cordyceps sichuanensis, Cordyceps acicularis, Cordyceps barnesii, Cordyceps guizhouensis, Cordyceps chishuiensis, Cordyceps dermapterae, Cordyceps pseudobubankensis, Cordyceps corallina, Cordyceps loushanensis, Cordyceps myosuroides, Cordyceps viridicapitata, Cordyceps paludosa, Cordyceps maolanensis, Cordyceps brongniartii, Cordyceps takaoensis [pale yellow Cordyceps militaris], Cordyceps capitata, Cordyceps scarabaeicola, Cordyceps mantidae, Cordyceps spumae, Cordyceps stipitata, Cordyceps pseudomaolanensis, Cordyceps gracilis [black hammer Cordyceps], Cordyceps filiformis, Cordyceps agriota, Cordyceps japonica, Cordyceps sinclairii, Cordyceps rostrata, Cordyceps pseudoatrovirens, Cordyceps emeiensis, Cordyceps pruinosa, Cordyceps dayiensis, Cordyceps furcata, Cordyceps alsophila, Cordyceps odonatae, Cordyceps myrmecophila, Cordyceps robertsii, Cordyceps kyushuensis, Cordyceps cylindrica, Cordyceps daii, Cordyceps variabilis, Cordyceps daozishanensis, Cordyceps bispora, Cordyceps gunnii, and many other species. In the broad sense, more than 400 species of Cordyceps have been reported. Among them, completely wild Cordyceps sinensis is further divided by professionals into Qinghai Cordyceps, Tibetan Cordyceps, Sichuan Cordyceps, Yunnan Cordyceps, Gansu Cordyceps, Lu Cordyceps, Guan Cordyceps, and others.