Where are the main growing regions for Cordyceps sinensis distributed

Because Cordyceps sinensis has a narrow distribution range, a low natural parasitism rate, and strict requirements for its living environment, its own resources are relatively limited. In recent years, moreover, due to severe man-made destruction of the ecological environment in the main producing areas of Cordyceps sinensis, large-scale blind and unreasonable harvesting has caused resources to decline increasingly, with output falling 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; around the Yushu area and Golog Prefecture in Qinghai; Zamtang 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. Tibet's cordyceps output accounts for about 40% of the country's total cordyceps output, Sichuan Province's output accounts for about 40% of the country's total 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 genus Cordyceps in the broad sense, 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 the name of each species in the genus Cordyceps is the name of each 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 biological kingdom Fungi, phylum Fungi, subphylum Ascomycota, class Pyrenomycetes, order Clavicipitales, family Clavicipitaceae, genus Cordyceps. They parasitize insects, arachnids, Elaphomyces fungi, and ergot fungi and form fruiting bodies, constituting a large and highly diverse group that is widely distributed worldwide.

Cordyceps is divided into many species, including Cordyceps sinensis, Cordyceps asiatica, Cordyceps liangshanensis, ** cordyceps, Cordyceps ramosa, Cordyceps hawkesii, Cordyceps militaris, Wuyishan cordyceps, Longdong cordyceps, Zhangjiajie cordyceps, Datading cordyceps, Cordyceps multiseptata, Cordyceps tenuipes, Cordyceps nutans, Jiangxi cordyceps, Sichuan cordyceps, Cordyceps acicularis, Cordyceps barnesii, Guizhou cordyceps, Chishui cordyceps, Cordyceps dermaptera, Cordyceps pseudobubanckii, Cordyceps corallina, Loushan cordyceps, Cordyceps rat-tail, Cordyceps viridis, Cordyceps paludosa, Maolan cordyceps, Cordyceps brongniartii, Cordyceps takaoensis [pale yellow Cordyceps militaris], Cordyceps capitata, Cordyceps scarabaeicola, Cordyceps mantis, Cordyceps spittlebug, Cordyceps stipitata, Cordyceps pseudomaolanensis, Cordyceps gracilis [black hammer cordyceps], Cordyceps filiformis, Cordyceps wireworm, Cordyceps japonica, Cordyceps sinclairii, Cordyceps rostrata, Cordyceps pseudo-atrovirens, Emei cordyceps, Cordyceps pruinosa, Dayi cordyceps, Cordyceps forficata, Cordyceps tree fern, Cordyceps dragonfly, Cordyceps ant, Cordyceps robertsii, Kyushu cordyceps, Cordyceps cylindrica, Cordyceps daii, Cordyceps deformans, Daozishan cordyceps, Cordyceps bifusispora, Cordyceps gunnii, and many other species. In the broad sense, more than 400 species of cordyceps have been reported as discovered. 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.