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Chan Hua (Cicada Flower)
Cordyceps chanhua is the entomopathogenic fungus sold in China as chan hua ("cicada flower"), one of the oldest Traditional Chinese Medicine materials. It infects cicada nymphs in the soil, fills and mummifies the host, and later pushes asexual fruiting structures up through the soil surface. It reproduces mostly asexually; the sexual stage has reportedly been seen only once in nature. The name was published in 2021 to replace long-misapplied names such as Isaria cicadae and Cordyceps cicadae.
Used in Traditional Chinese Medicine and in some foods and tonics. Reported toxicity is low, but it produces oosporein (a problem in birds and dogs) and oxalic acid, which may contribute to kidney stones at high intake. Treat as a medicinal material, not a forage food.
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