Tibet maps hot spots for caterpillar fungus  

西藏首次全面掌握冬虫夏草资源家底

近60幅地图，星星点点地标明分布点，如此详细地掌握西藏冬虫夏草资源分布，尚属首次。西藏高原生物研究所植物研究室主任、副研究员李晖17日在拉萨接受中新社记者专访时透露，西藏首次全面摸清了当地冬虫夏草资源的家底。

Lhasa (CNS) -- For the first time ever, we have nearly 60 detailed maps marking the distribution of caterpillar fungus on the Tibetan Plateau, Li Hui, assistant researcher at the Tibet Plateau Biology Research Institute, said on Wednesday.

Caterpillar fungus, literally "winter worm, summer grass," is a valuable medicinal resource scattered in Tibet, Qinghai, western Sichuan, southwestern Gansu and the northwestern part of Yunnan.

The institute took three years to explore the living environment, ecology and geographic distribution of the fungus.

There are 55 counties that produce caterpillar fungus, accounting for 74.3 percent of the number in Tibet, said Li Hui. We not only mapped out the distribution, but also analyzed average annual temperature, rainfall, altitude and soil for their affects on fungus growth, he added.