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''Ophiocordyceps sinensis'' is a fungus that parasitizes larvae of ghost moths and produces a fruiting body valued as a herbal remedy found on mountainous region of Nepal and Tibet. The fungus germinates in the living larva, kills and mummifies it, and then the stalk-like fruiting body emerges from the corpse. It is known in English colloquially as caterpillar fungus, or by its more prominent names ''Yartsa Gunbu'' (, literally "winter worm, summer grass"), or ''Dōng chóng xià cǎo'' (). Of the various entomopathogenic fungi, ''Ophiocordyceps sinensis'' is one that has been used for at least 2000 years〔Shrestha, B., Weimin, Z., Yongjie, Z., & Xingzhong, L. (2010). What is the Chinese caterpillar fungus Ophiocordyceps sinensis (Ophiocordycipitaceae)?. ''Mycology: An International Journal On Fungal Biology'', 1(4), 228-236. doi:10.1080/21501203.2010.536791.〕 for its reputed abilities to treat many diseases related to lungs, kidney, and erectile dysfunction. This fungus is not yet cultivated commercially,〔Hsieh, C., et al., A Systematic Review of the Mysterious Caterpillar Fungus Ophiocordyceps sinensis in Dong-ChongXiaCao and Related Bioactive Ingredients. Vol. 3. 2013. 16-32.〕 despite the fact that several fermentable strains of ''Ophiocordyceps sinensis'' have been isolated by Chinese scientists.〔Zhu JS, Halpem GM, Jones K. 1998. The scientific rediscovery of an ancient Chinese herbal medicince: Cordyceps sinensis. I. J Alt Complem Med 4:289-303.〕 Overharvesting and overexploitation have led to the classification of ''O. sinensis'' as an endangered species in China.〔Xiao-Liang, W., & Yi-Jian, Y. (2011). Host insect species of Ophiocordyceps sinensis: a review. Zookeys, 12743-59. doi:10.3897/zookeys.127.802〕 Additional research needs to be carried out in order to understand its morphology and growth habit for conservation and optimum utilization. The moths in which ''O. sinensis'' grows are ambiguously referred to as "ghost moth", which identifies either a single species or the genus ''Thitarodes'', and the species parasitized by ''O. sinensis'' may be one of several ''Thitarodes'' that live on the Tibetan Plateau (Tibet, Qinghai, West-Sichuan, SW-Gansu & NW Yunnan), and the Himalayas (India, Nepal, Bhutan). ''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.〔 〕 The hand-collected fungus-caterpillar combination is valued by herbalists and as a status symbol;〔http://www.npr.org/2011/10/09/141164173/caterpillar-fungus-the-viagra-of-the-himalayas〕 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. ==Taxonomic history and systematics== 抄文引用元・出典: フリー百科事典『 ウィキペディア（Wikipedia）』 ■ウィキペディアで「ophiocordyceps sinensis」の詳細全文を読む スポンサード リンク
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