Macroscopic andmicroscopicstudieswereappliedtodistinguish Cordyceps sinensis
(Berk.) Sacc.andits5commoncounterfeits.Transversesectionsofstromaandlarvaeandsurface
sections ofstromaof C. sinensis, Cordyceps gunnii, Cordyceps barnesii, Cordyceps gracilis,
Cordyceps liangshanensis and Cordyceps militaris were examinedandtheirmorphologicaland
microscopic featuresphotographed.Themainmorphologicalandmicroscopicfeaturesofthe6
species of Cordyceps were basicallysimilarexceptforcertaindiagnosticdifferences.Theseincluded
macroscopic differencesfrom C. sinensis as follows:thestromaof C. gunnii is stoutandroughwith
sterile bulgyorbranchedapex;thelarvaeof C. barnesii has apairofteethonthehead;thestroma
of C. liangshanensi is thread-like; C. gracilis is withoutstroma;and C. militaris is withoutlarvae.
There werealsomicroscopicdifferences:from C. sinensisasfollows: thestromaof C. barnesii is
without perithecia; C. gunnii, C. liangshanensis and C. gracilis are withoutbristlesonthelarva
body. Thesedifferencesallow C. sinensis and itscounterfeitstobeeasilydistinguished