Wild Cordyceps is mainly produced in Qinghai, Tibet, Sichuan and Yunnan provinces. The best ones are produced in Qinghai province and Tibet. But now the majority is cultivated.

Identification
- It has to be stressed here that it is a composite consisting of the stromata of the fungus. It is a parasite of the larva in some species of insects (Fam. Hepialidae).
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It resembles a silkworm, 3-5cm long, and 3-8mm in diameter. Externally it is deep yellow to yellowish brown, with 20-60 annulations and those near the head are relatively fine. There are 8 pairs of feet (3 pairs near the head, 4 pairs in the middle and 1 pair near the tail), only the 4 pairs of feet in the middle are conspicuous. The head is reddish-brown and the tail looks like the tail of a silkworm. Its texture is fragile, easily broken, and the cross section is slightly even, yellowish-white with dark brown V-shaped clefts.
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The stroma is deep brown to brown, thin and cylindrical, 4-7cm long,3mm in diameter, with fine longitudinal wrinkles and the upper part is slightly swollen above. The texture is soft and the cross section has whitish fibers.
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It has a fishy odor (like that of straw mushroom) and slightly bitter taste.
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Sichuan Cordyceps: It is smaller, irregular in size with yellowish-brown color and its stroma is fairly long.
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Qinghai Cordyceps: It is thicker with bright gold color and the stroma is fairly shorter.
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Tibet Cordyceps: It is thicker with bright gold color and the stroma is short.
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The best quality: It has a full complete body with bright gold color, and internally it is white. The stroma is short.
Quality classification
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In the market it is divided into three categories—Sichuan Cordyceps, Qinghai Cordyceps and Tibet Cordyceps. Each
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category is further classified into different grades, which vary in price.
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Commonly Seen Fake Ones
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(1) Cordyceps Hawkesii Gray: It is brown with fine dark spots. The stroma curves at the base or branches. It has a fragrant odor and it is tasteless.
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(2) Cordyceps Liangshanensis Zang Liu et Hu: It resembles a silkworm, covered with a brown mycorderm. The place where the mycorderm exfoliates is purplish brown. The feet are inconspicuous, and the stroma is linear with or without branches. It has a very light odor.
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(3) Cordyceps Barnesii Thwaites: The body is curve or in the shape of a flat bean, short and stout. It has a small head and there are 3 pairs of feet in the chest. The odor is slightly offensive.
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(4) Moulded ones with flour, etc.: There are regular annulations and 8 pairs (or more) of feet in the chest. On the cross section there is a blackish-brown V-shaped cleft. The odor is not pleasant.
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