Yarchagumba
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| Cordyceps sinensis |
Yarchagumba (Cordyceps sinensis) also popularly known as Yarsagumba in Nepal, is a rare species of parasitic fungus that grows on the bodies of insect larvae. Before the rainy season begins, spores of the mushroom settle on the heads of Thitarodes caterpillars that live underground. The fungus gradually permeates the body of the caterpillars, until the insect dies and the fungus transforms its body. This fungus is found on the subalpine pastures of Nepal, (Such as Dolpa in Karnali zone) as well as the Tibetan highlands of China and in Bhutan, at altitudes of 3000-4000 metres. The word means summer plant and winter insect in Tibetan.
The herb is highly prized by practitioners of Chinese medicine and traditional herbal Folk medicines, in which it is used as an aphrodisiac and as a treatment for a variety of ailments, from fatigue to cancer.
This value gave it a role in the Nepal Civil War, as the Nepalese Maoists and government forces fought for control of the lucrative export trade during the June - July harvest season. Collecting yarchagumba in Nepal had only been legalised in 2001, and now demand is highest in countries such as China, Thailand, Korea and Japan. By 2002, the herb was valued at R 105,000 ($1,435) per kilogram, allowing the government to charge a royalty of R 20,000 ($280) per kilogram.
[edit] External links
- Nepal's Nature - The Himalayan Viagra
- Visit Nepal - Yarsagumba
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