Cordyceps Militaris Agar Plate
Cordyceps Militaris Agar Plate
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| Species | Cordyceps militaris |
| Difficulty ℹ️ | 🍄🍄🍄 |
| Spore Coloration | N/A |
| Ecology | Parasitic |
| Edibility | Inedible, Medicinal |
Many authors consider cordyceps militaris quite common, spread throughout the northern hemisphere, and fruiting bodies appear in Europe from August to November.
Cordyceps' method of dispersal is through parasitizing insects. Researchers believe that the insect picks up the fungus while foraging for food. The fungus makes its way deeper into its hosts body, eventually taking over and controlling the insect's behavior. The fungus then makes its host climb to a high point, most likely the leaf of a nearby plant, and latch on, locking it in place. The fungus continues to eat at its host, killing it in the process. After a few days, the fungus's fruiting body begins to emerge from its host's body, where it then sends its spores out to infect more insects.
Cordyceps militaris can be cultivated in a variety of media, including silkworm pupae, rice, and liquid nutrition. It is considered inedible or "probably edible" by North American field guides. In Asia the fruiting body is cooked as a mushroom in dishes like chicken soup, pork bone soup and hot pot.
Cordyceps militaris is a potential carrier of bio-metabolites for herbal drugs. Traditional medicine systems believe it "revitalizes" various systems of the body. In traditional Chinese medicine, this fungus can serve as a cheap substitute for Ophiocordyceps sinensis. Both contain cordycepin.
Cordyceps militaris contains a protein CMP18 which induces apoptosis in vitro via a mitochondrion-dependent pathway. It is thought that it might be toxic when eaten. Cooking destroys this protein.
Images on this page have been sourced from iNaturalist under CC-BY-SA3.0, taken by mycowalt, bjoerns and others.
What Is An Agar Plate?
What Is An Agar Plate?
An agar plate is a petri dish with solidified nutrient solution (I make mine with light malt extract, generally). The dish is sealed with parafilm to keep it sterile while the transfer colonizes the plate.
The mycelial bodies grow on our agar plates in sterile incubators before being shipped to you!
How Do I Store Agar Plates?
How Do I Store Agar Plates?
Keep your agar plates ideally in the fridge, within a ziplock bag. Let them come to room temperature before opening them - it'll prevent condensation!
How Do I Use Agar Plates?
How Do I Use Agar Plates?
Grab your scalpel and get to work! Need a scalpel? Check my gear page!
Slides from agar plates can be propagated onto other mediums very easily. The beauty of agar plates is the ability to be absolutely certain that your sample is healthy and clean!
When Will My Agar Plate Ship?
When Will My Agar Plate Ship?
All of my agar plates are made-to-order. This ensures that you have nothing but the freshest, most voracious mycelium when it gets to your doorstep.
Please check for your individual species on this page to see colonization times.
If you're interested in ordering agar plates and other items like liquid culture, or mushroom spores, you can have your order shipped in two by adding this item!
What Comes In My Package?
What Comes In My Package?
For each agar plate in your order, you'll receive a healthy, colonized agar plate, and an additional piece of parafilm in case you need to reseal it.
What if Something Goes Wrong?
What if Something Goes Wrong?
If you any questions as to the density, sterility or other concerns about your order please email me directly at support@southwesthshroomery.com.
Under no circumstances contact us about cultivation of active spores regardless of legality in your home location. Doing so will result in a cancellation of all open orders and denial of any future orders.
While all of our products are made in the most sterile conditions possible, sometimes contamination happens! I'll make it right!
