post #16870 post #182439 post #1773845 post #2493160 post #4896776 post #5301875 post #5504756

Tōchūkasō (冬虫夏草) is a species of parasitic fungus from the Pokémon series that parasitizes the species Paras and Parasect.

An agaric fungus, the spore-bearing anatomy of tōchūkasō takes the form of a mushroom. These tōchūkasō mushrooms are generally red with yellow spots, but over the years have appeared in shades of pink, purple, or orange. With a near-identical appearance, the tiny mushroom and big mushroom items are likely instances of tōchūkasō mushrooms. The tōchūkasō mushrooms and their spores can be consumable by humans and Pokémon. They have been used in herbal medicine and potions in places like the Kanto region and China (or the Pokémon world's counterpart). Tōchūkasō can be toxic, at least when hosted by Parases and Parasects, using them for poisonous attacks.

Tōchūkasō is noted for its symbiosis with the Paras–Parasect line. Spores contaminate eggs upon their laying and hatchlings are infected shortly after emerging. For the Paras stage of the life cycle, two small mushrooms sprout from the Pokémon's back, on the second segment of the abdomen. Tōchūkasō grows with its host and, upon evolution, overwhelms the Parasect: the fungus forms one giant mushroom with streaked spots that comprises most of the Pokémon's volume. Pokémon researchers are of the understanding that a Parasect's actions are dictated not by the host's brain, but by the overwhelming infection. Tōchūkasō and its influenced hosts prefer dark, damp places to grow in, and Parases and Parasects parasitize tree roots (thus making tōchūkasō a hyperparasite).

The fungus' namesake is the real world species of Ophiocordyceps sinensis, (the "caterpillar fungus", more literally translated as "winter worm summer grass"), however it does not bear any visual or ecological resemblance aside from being an entomopathogenic fungus.

See also

• fungus
• fungi fauna
• morphology
• mushroom
• taxonomy
• Cordyceps
• Ophiocordyceps
• Pokémon
• Generation 1 Pokémon
• #0046 Paras
• #0047 Parasect

External links

• Bulbapedia — Tochukaso
• Wikipedia — Ophiocordyceps sinensis