Cordyceps militaris

Cordyceps militaris
Scientific classification
Domain:	Eukaryota
Kingdom:	Fungi
Division:	Ascomycota
Class:	Sordariomycetes
Order:	Hypocreales
Family:	Cordycipitaceae
Genus:	Cordyceps
Species:	C. militaris
Binomial name
	Cordyceps militaris; (L.) Fr. (1818)
Synonyms
	Clavaria militaris L. (1753); Sphaeria militaris (L.) J.F. Gmel. (1792); Cordylia militaris (L.) Fr. (1818); Hypoxylon militare (L.) Mérat, (1821); Xylaria militaris (L.) Gray (1821); Corynesphaera militaris (L.) Dumort. (1822); Kentrosporium militare (L.) Wallr. (1844); Torrubia militaris (L.) Tul. & C. Tul. (1865)

Cordyceps militaris, commonly known as the caterpillar fungus, is a species of fungus in the family Cordycipitaceae, and the type species of the genus Cordyceps, which consists of hundreds of species. The species was originally described by Carl Linnaeus in 1753 as Clavaria militaris. Cordyceps militaris parasitizes insects and is used in traditional Chinese medicine.

It is commonly marketed as a dietary supplement for various health benefits but lacks sufficient scientific evidence for safety or effectiveness, and quality can vary due to inconsistent processing and labeling.