Cordyceps is a genus of ascomycete fungi (sac fungi) that includes over 260 species worldwide, many of which are parasitic. Diverse variants of cordyceps have had more than 1,500 years of use in Chinese medicine. Most Cordyceps species are endoparasitoids, parasitic mainly on insects and other arthropods (they are thus entomopathogenic fungi); a few are parasitic on other fungi.

The generic name Cordyceps is derived from the ancient Greek κορδύλη kordýlē, meaning "club", and the Latin -ceps, derived from Latin caput, meaning "head". The genus has a worldwide distribution, with most of the known species being from Asia.

Taxonomy

There are two recognized subgenera:

  • Cordyceps subgen. Cordyceps <small>Fr. 1818</small>
  • Cordyceps subgen. Cordylia <small>Tul. & C. Tul. 1865</small>

Cordyceps sensu stricto are the teleomorphs of several genera of anamorphic, entomopathogenic fungi such as Beauveria (Cordyceps bassiana), Septofusidium, and Lecanicillium.

The 2007 study also peeled off Metacordyceps (anamorph Metarhizium, Pochonia) and Elaphocordyceps. A number of species remain unclearly assigned and provisionally retained in Cordyceps sensu lato.

  • Cordyceps caespitosa
  • Cordyceps chanhua
  • Cordyceps militaris
  • Cordyceps sinclairii

Anamorphic genera

Isaria is a genus name that has been applied to many anamorphs of Cordyceps species. This genus itself is treated as a synonym of Cordyceps in Species Fungorum following the "one fungus one name" change, but many species names with Isaria are still preferred by Species Fungorum over the synonyms in other genera (e.g. Isaria sinclarii is preferred over Cordyceps sinclairii). Though confusing, this does match the "equal footing for priority" approach of the "one fungus one name" concept. To add to the complexity, Isaria is a conserved name with a conserved type.

Anamorphic genera closely allied to Cordyceps sensu stricto include Evlachovaea, Lecanicillium and Beauveria. Cordyceps are used by drab stinkbugs to protect their eggs from parasitoid wasps.

Research

thumb|upright|[[Cordycepin ]]

Polysaccharide components and the nucleoside cordycepin isolated from C. militaris are under basic research, but more advanced clinical research has been limited and too low in quality to identify any therapeutic potential of cordyceps components.

Uses

Cordyceps sensu lato (which now includes Ophiocordyceps and many other genera holding species originally in this genus) has long been used in traditional Chinese medicine in the belief it can be used to treat diseases. There is no scientific evidence for such uses. The result is a zombie apocalypse and the collapse of human civilization. Scientific American notes that some species in the genus "are indeed body snatchers–they have been making real zombies for millions of years", though of ants or tarantulas, not of humans.

In similar vein, Cordyceps causes a pandemic that wipes out most of humanity in Mike Carey's 2014 postapocalyptic novel The Girl with All the Gifts and its 2016 film adaptation.

<!--In the video game Bug Fables: The Everlasting Sapling, Cordyceps-infected bugs are enemies that can be encountered. Cordyceps also serves as a major plot point in the story.-->

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File:Cordycepsmilitaris.jpg|Cordyceps militaris

File:Puppenkernkeule.jpg|Cordyceps militaris

File:Cordyceps ophioglossoides 02.JPG|Cordyceps ophioglossoides

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See also

  • Medicinal fungi

References