Cordyceps picker Xing Hairen, 51, looks on as others scan the ground to find Ophiocordyceps sinensis, a fungus believed to possess aphrodisiac and medicinal powers, on a mountain in the Amne Machin range in China's western Qinghai province, June 8, 2019. Demand for the highly prized cordyceps has increased sharply in the last decade as an emerging Chinese middle class seeks it to cure everything from kidney disorders to impotence. REUTERS/Aly Song SEARCH "CHINA FUNGUS" FOR THIS STORY. SEARCH "WIDER IMAGE" FOR ALL STORIES. TPX IMAGES OF THE DAY 

Ma Junxiao, 49, an ethnic Hui Muslim farmer from remote western China, scans the ground to find cordyceps, a fungus believed to possess aphrodisiac and medicinal powers, on a mountain in the Amne Machin range in China's western Qinghai province, June 8, 2019. Ma has been picking cordyceps in Qinghai for the past 14 years. "The glaciers are gone, and so are the cordyceps," he said. REUTERS/Aly Song SEARCH "CHINA FUNGUS" FOR THIS STORY. SEARCH "WIDER IMAGE" FOR ALL STORIES. 

Cordyceps pickers scan the ground on a mountain to find Ophiocordyceps sinensis, a fungus believed to possess aphrodisiac and medicinal powers, in the Amne Machin range in China's western Qinghai province, June 8, 2019. Demand for the highly prized cordyceps has increased sharply in the last decade as an emerging Chinese middle class seeks it to cure everything from kidney disorders to impotence. REUTERS/Aly Song SEARCH "CHINA FUNGUS" FOR THIS STORY. SEARCH "WIDER IMAGE" FOR ALL STORIES. 

Cordyceps pickers search the ground on a frozen section of a river in a valley in the Amne Machin range in China's western Qinghai province, June 9, 2019. Cordyceps harvest has waned in Qinghai, the biggest producing region in China. One reason: higher temperatures, less seasonal snow, and receding glaciers have led to warmer mountains, making it less hospitable for the fungus, which thrives in soils that are cold but not frozen, about 5 degrees Celsius. REUTERS/Aly Song SEARCH "CHINA FUNGUS" FOR THIS STORY. SEARCH "WIDER IMAGE" FOR ALL STORIES. 

A mountain, part of the Amne Machin range, in China's western Qinghai province, June 9, 2019. Found in the Himalayas, Tibet and Qinghai's high-altitude grasslands, the caterpillar fungus, as cordyceps is also known, has become the most important source of income for local communities, offering seasonal jobs for the poor and a path to riches for commercial harvesters. REUTERS/Aly Song SEARCH "CHINA FUNGUS" FOR THIS STORY. SEARCH "WIDER IMAGE" FOR ALL STORIES. TPX IMAGES OF THE DAY 

Cordyceps pickers rest in their tent at a base camp on a mountain in the Amne Machin range in China's western Qinghai province, June 8, 2019. Cordyceps pickers are hired by a local company to find and pick the Ophiocordyceps sinensis, a fungus believed to possess aphrodisiac and medicinal powers. REUTERS/Aly Song SEARCH "CHINA FUNGUS" FOR THIS STORY. SEARCH "WIDER IMAGE" FOR ALL STORIES. 

A cordyceps picker digs out a cordycep, a fungus believed to possess aphrodisiac and medicinal powers, on a mountain in the Amne Machin range in China's western Qinghai province, June 9, 2019. Found in the Himalayas, Tibet and Qinghai's high-altitude grasslands, the caterpillar fungus, as cordyceps is also known, has become the most important source of income for local communities, offering seasonal jobs for the poor and a path to riches for commercial harvesters. REUTERS/Aly Song SEARCH "CHINA FUNGUS" FOR THIS STORY. SEARCH "WIDER IMAGE" FOR ALL STORIES. 

Buyers and sellers negotiate price by touching each other's fingers gesturing numbers under a cloth at a cordyceps trade market in Hainan Tibetan Autonomous Prefecture, in China's western Qinghai province June 10, 2019. Demand for the highly prized cordyceps has increased sharply in the last decade as an emerging Chinese middle class seeks it to cure everything from kidney disorders to impotence. REUTERS/Aly Song SEARCH "CHINA FUNGUS" FOR THIS STORY. SEARCH "WIDER IMAGE" FOR ALL STORIES. 

Buyers check the quality of cordyceps, a fungus believed to possess aphrodisiac and medicinal powers, at a cordyceps trade market in Hainan Tibetan Autonomous Prefecture, in China's western Qinghai province June 10, 2019. Demand for the highly prized cordyceps has increased sharply in the last decade as an emerging Chinese middle class seeks it to cure everything from kidney disorders to impotence. REUTERS/Aly Song SEARCH "CHINA FUNGUS" FOR THIS STORY. SEARCH "WIDER IMAGE" FOR ALL STORIES. 

Cordyceps are laid out on cloth for drying inside a cordyceps trader's house in Hainan Tibetan Autonomous Prefecture, Qinghai province, China June 7, 2019. Demand for the highly prized cordyceps has increased sharply in the last decade as an emerging Chinese middle class seeks it to cure everything from kidney disorders to impotence. REUTERS/Aly Song SEARCH "CHINA FUNGUS" FOR THIS STORY. SEARCH "WIDER IMAGE" FOR ALL STORIES. 

Cordyceps are laid out on cloth for drying inside a cordyceps trader's house in Hainan Tibetan Autonomous Prefecture, Qinghai province, China June 7, 2019. Demand for the highly prized cordyceps has increased sharply in the last decade as an emerging Chinese middle class seeks it to cure everything from kidney disorders to impotence. REUTERS/Aly Song SEARCH "CHINA FUNGUS" FOR THIS STORY. SEARCH "WIDER IMAGE" FOR ALL STORIES. 

Cordyceps pickers cut up lamb carcasses at a base camp on a mountain in the Amne Machin range in China's western Qinghai province, June 7, 2019. Cordyceps pickers are hired by a local company to find and pick the Ophiocordyceps sinensis, a fungus believed to possess aphrodisiac and medicinal powers. REUTERS/Aly Song SEARCH "CHINA FUNGUS" FOR THIS STORY. SEARCH "WIDER IMAGE" FOR ALL STORIES. 

An ethnic Hui Muslim cooks steamed bread for cordyceps pickers at a base camp on a mountain in the Amne Machin range in China's western Qinghai province, June 8, 2019. Cordyceps pickers are hired by a local company to find and pick the Ophiocordyceps sinensis, a fungus believed to possess aphrodisiac and medicinal powers. REUTERS/Aly Song SEARCH "CHINA FUNGUS" FOR THIS STORY. SEARCH "WIDER IMAGE" FOR ALL STORIES. 

A Tibetan cordyceps picker smokes a cigarette at a base camp on a mountain in the Amne Machin range in China's western Qinghai province, June 7, 2019. Cordyceps pickers are hired by a local company to find and pick the Ophiocordyceps sinensis, a fungus believed to possess aphrodisiac and medicinal powers. REUTERS/Aly Song SEARCH "CHINA FUNGUS" FOR THIS STORY. SEARCH "WIDER IMAGE" FOR ALL STORIES. 

Shoes belonging to cordyceps pickers lie on the floor inside their tent at a base camp on a mountain in the Amne Machin range in China's western Qinghai province, June 8, 2019. Cordyceps pickers are hired by a local company to find and pick the Ophiocordyceps sinensis, a fungus believed to possess aphrodisiac and medicinal powers. REUTERS/Aly Song SEARCH "CHINA FUNGUS" FOR THIS STORY. SEARCH "WIDER IMAGE" FOR ALL STORIES. 

Tools belonging to cordyceps pickers are seen at a base camp on a mountain in the Amne Machin range in China's western Qinghai province, June 8, 2019. Cordyceps pickers are hired by a local company to find and pick the Ophiocordyceps sinensis, a fungus believed to possess aphrodisiac and medicinal powers. REUTERS/Aly Song SEARCH "CHINA FUNGUS" FOR THIS STORY. SEARCH "WIDER IMAGE" FOR ALL STORIES. 

A skull of a yak lies in the valley in the Amne Machin range in China's western Qinghai province, June 9, 2019. Found in the Himalayas, Tibet and Qinghai's high-altitude grasslands, the caterpillar fungus, as cordyceps is also known, has become the most important source of income for local communities, offering seasonal jobs for the poor and a path to riches for commercial harvesters. REUTERS/Aly Song SEARCH "CHINA FUNGUS" FOR THIS STORY. SEARCH "WIDER IMAGE" FOR ALL STORIES. 

Yaks walk on a mountain in the Amne Machin range in China's western Qinghai province, June 7, 2019. Found in the Himalayas, Tibet and Qinghai's high-altitude grasslands, the caterpillar fungus, as cordyceps is also known, has become the most important source of income for local communities, offering seasonal jobs for the poor and a path to riches for commercial harvesters. REUTERS/Aly Song SEARCH "CHINA FUNGUS" FOR THIS STORY. SEARCH "WIDER IMAGE" FOR ALL STORIES. 

Ethnic Hui Muslim cordyceps pickers clean their bowls at a base camp on a mountain in the Amne Machin range in China's western Qinghai province, June 7, 2019. Cordyceps pickers are hired by a local company to find and pick the Ophiocordyceps sinensis, a fungus believed to possess aphrodisiac and medicinal powers. REUTERS/Aly Song SEARCH "CHINA FUNGUS" FOR THIS STORY. SEARCH "WIDER IMAGE" FOR ALL STORIES. 

Ethnic Hui and Tibetan women wait to be hired by traders to clean up the freshly picked cordyceps at a cordyceps trade market in Hainan Tibetan Autonomous Prefecture, in China's western Qinghai province, June 10, 2019. Demand for the highly prized cordyceps has increased sharply in the last decade as an emerging Chinese middle class seeks it to cure everything from kidney disorders to impotence. REUTERS/Aly Song SEARCH "CHINA FUNGUS" FOR THIS STORY. SEARCH "WIDER IMAGE" FOR ALL STORIES. 

Tibetan woman Kangri Dolma, 65, waits to be hired by traders to clean up the freshly picked cordyceps at a cordyceps trade market in Hainan Tibetan Autonomous Prefecture, in China's western Qinghai province, June 10, 2019. Demand for the highly prized cordyceps has increased sharply in the last decade as an emerging Chinese middle class seeks it to cure everything from kidney disorders to impotence. REUTERS/Aly Song SEARCH "CHINA FUNGUS" FOR THIS STORY. SEARCH "WIDER IMAGE" FOR ALL STORIES. TPX IMAGES OF THE DAY 

Ethnic Hui and Tibetan women remove soil from cordyceps at a cordyceps trade market in Hainan Tibetan Autonomous Prefecture, in China's western Qinghai province, June 10, 2019. Demand for the highly prized cordyceps has increased sharply in the last decade as an emerging Chinese middle class seeks it to cure everything from kidney disorders to impotence. REUTERS/Aly Song SEARCH "CHINA FUNGUS" FOR THIS STORY. SEARCH "WIDER IMAGE" FOR ALL STORIES. 

Cordyceps pickers smoke at a base camp on a mountain in the Amne Machin range in China's western Qinghai province, June 7, 2019. Cordyceps pickers are hired by a local company to find and pick the Ophiocordyceps sinensis, a fungus believed to possess aphrodisiac and medicinal powers. REUTERS/Aly Song SEARCH "CHINA FUNGUS" FOR THIS STORY. SEARCH "WIDER IMAGE" FOR ALL STORIES.