Cordyceps militaris

Cordyceps militaris (L.) Fr., Observ. mycol. (Havniae) 2: 317 (cancellans) (1818)

Index Fungorum number: IF 237604

Parasitic on pupa of Lepidoptera. Sexual morph: Stroma 2–7 cm long, 2–5 mm wide, arising from the body of host, composed entirely of fungal tissues, erect, cylindrical to clavate shaped, yellowish to orange to reddish colored, stipitate, fleshy, usually simple, rarely branched. Stipe 1.2–10 mm long, 2–4 mm wide, cylindrical, erect to flexuous, yellowish colored. Fertile head 1–5 cm long, 2–5 mm wide, cylindrical to clavate, not smooth, differentiated from stipe. Perithecia 415–700 × 200–460 μm (x̅ = 558 × 328, n = 30), completely immersed, yellowish to hyaline, ovoid to elongated, with the ostiolar necks, ostiole lined with short periphyses. Peridium 25–50 μm wide (x̅ = 38, n = 60), comprising three layers. Asci 320–495 × 3–5 μm (x̅ = 450 × 4, n = 60), 8-spored, hyaline, long cylindrical, unitunicate, with apical cap, breaking into secondary ascospores. Apical cap 3–5 μm wide (x̅ = 4, n = 60). Secondary ascospores 2–6 × 1–1.8 μm (x̅ = 4 × 1.2, n = 90), hyaline, one-celled, cylindrical.

Specimens examined: CHINA, Liao Ning Province, on pupa of Lepidoptera. 18 June 2014, Ting-Chi Wen TL2014091004, MFLU 15-3202 (Hyde et al. 2020).