Cordyceps military (Cordyceps militaris)
Systematics:
- Department: Ascomycota (Ascomycetes)
- Branch: Pezizomycotina (Pesizomycotins)
- Class: Sordariomycetes (Sordariomycetes)
- Subclass: Hypocreomycetidae (Hypocreomycete)
- Order: Hypocreales (Hypocrean)
- Family: Cordycipitaceae (Cordyceps)
- Genus: Cordyceps (Cordyceps)
- View: Cordyceps militaris (Cordyceps military)
Description: Stroma single or growing in groups, simple or branched at the base, cylindrical or club-shaped, unbranched, 1-8 x 0.2-0.6 cm, various shades orange color. The leading part is cylindrical, club-shaped, spindle-shaped or ellipsoidal, warty from protruding in the form of darker points of stomata of perithecia. The leg is cylindrical, pale orange or almost white.
Bags are cylindrical, 8-spore, 300-500 x 3.0-3.5 microns.
Ascospores are colorless, threadlike, with numerous partitions, almost equal in length to the bags. As they mature disintegrate into individual cylindrical cells 2-5 x 1-1.5 microns.
The pulp is whitish, fibrous, without much taste and smell.
Propagation: Cordyceps military meets on butterfly pupae buried in the soil (very rarely on others insects) in the forests. Fruits from June to October
Rating: Edibility not known. Food Cordyceps has no military value. Actively used in Eastern medicine.
Note: Cordyceps Military – One of the most widespread species of the genus. Occurs in Europe, Asia, North and South America, Africa. In Russia is celebrated from the tundra to the southern regions. Dimensions, strom shape and intensity colors are very variable and depend on the size of the affected insect and habitat conditions.
Photo of Cordyceps fungus military out of questions in recognition:
2018.11.11 Vitalij
