Magic Mushrooms Guide, FAQ and General Information

Introduction / History : Etymology : Chemistry : Psychology : Legality : Botany : Mushroom Guide
Growing Mushrooms : Picking Mushrooms : Drying Mushrooms : Dosage : Consumption : Preparation for Voyage
During the Voyage : Miscellaneous Questions : Mushroom Grow Kits : Further Reading : References : Credits

Magic Mushroom Guide

Warning

A printout of this part of the text should provide an adequate check-list for mushrooms in the field, but a good mushroom book with color pictures of the mushrooms, preferably at all 4 stages of growth, is INVALUABLE. The set of GIFs at hemp.uwec.edu may be used as a crude substitute, but a book is easier to carry around... =)

For exhaustingly exhaustive and thoroughly technical descriptions of most Psilocybes, the reader is referred to Singer & Smith: Mycologia 58, 263-303 and H0iland: Norw J Botany 25(2), 111-122. These two, along with a dozen lesser references (all of them listed at the end), were primary sources in compiling this.

To check the spore color, take two caps, place one on a sheet of white and one on a black paper, or on a glass plate if you plan to use microscope. Place in a draftless place and wait for 6 to 24 hours. The dust-like stuff on the sheet is the spores. Compare the two papers. For size, you'll need a good microscope... =)

The standard identifying mark of most Psilocybes is that they stain blue when touched or cut; unless specifically noted otherwise, assume all mushrooms listed here do. Mind you, this blueing alone is not sufficient for identification as a non-poisonous and hallucinogenic mushroom!

It is STRONGLY recommended that for the first few hunts you go out with a friend who has hunted before and knows what they look like. While there are no poisonous mushrooms that look like the common Psilocybes, there are a whole bunch that certainly will not get you off, and while not lethal they might well be quite unpleasant. So be careful!

Dosage Note

The medium adult oral dose, according to Hofmann, is 4-8 mg of psilocybin. Thus, you can estimate doses from the mg/g psilocybin figures found in technical literature. Data for "% dry weight" is the same as centigrams per gram, so just multiply by 10 to get the mg/g figure.

Whenever possible, dosages in both shrooms and grams of fresh material have been given. As a rule of thumb, for dried shrooms multiply the dosage in shrooms by two. There is no reliable way of converting weight in grams from fresh to dry, mushrooms contain approximately 90% water (ie. 10 grams wet = 1 gram dry) but the figure varies from species to species.

The amount of psilocybin varies very considerably from mushroom to mushroom, depending on factors like age, growing conditions, etc. The variation is up to 4x for mushrooms grown in controlled laboratory conditions, and as much as 10x for ones that are not! With a new batch, always start out low.

When reading the data, remember that psilocybin is almost equal in strength to psilocin. On the other hand, baeocystin does not appear to very hallucinogenic, but it is rumored to account for some of the side effects.

Shroom descriptions in alphabetical order:

It should be kept in mind that mushrooms change appearance as they age and often have different coloration in different regions.

These descriptions, formatted nicely so that you can print them out as a booklet and take it with you when cow-hunting, are now available separately as the "Psilocybe FAQ Mushroom Field Guide". Available at all well-stocked FTP sites! Or make your own: cut out this section, search-and-replace "*" with "+", and print. Substitute your computer's form feed character or sequence for CTRL-L in need.

Quick Vocabulary
adnate Gills that are fully attached to the stem
adnexed Gills that are partially attached to the stem
apex Top part of stem (i.e. where it's attached to the cap)
concave Cap that curves "inward" (like the inside of a sphere)
convex Cap that curves "outward" (like the outside of a sphere)
evanescent Describes a quickly-disappearing veil
fibrillose Stem that seems to be made of fibers packed together
fissure Crack or cleft in cap or gills
HD "High dose"
hygrophilous Absorbs water easily
hygrophanous Becomes translucent when wet
LD "Low dose"
MD "Medium dose"
mg/g Milligrams of substance per gram of dried mushroom
N/A Not applicable or not available
seceding Gills that are detaching/detached from the stem
umbonate Cap that is shaped like a knob
viscid Cap covered with a sticky coating
And remember, if you think learning these is too hard, try reading Singer & Smith. "Stipe tubular, more rarely subequal, discolors to reddish cinerous, strongly sulcate at apex, glabrous to fibrillose..."

Conocybe cyanopoda

see: Conocybe cyanopus

Conocybe cyanopus

a.k.a. Conocybe cyanopoda, Galerula cyanopus

A small and uncommon but relatively strong mushroom, often found on lawns. Found in the northern parts of the U.S., Canada and northern Europe.
CAP diameter 0.7 - 2.5 centimeters
color rusty/dark brown to black
appearance convex, nearly hemispherical, slightly expanding, slightly wrinkled at edges
STEM diameter 1 - 1.5 millimeters
length 2 - 4 centimeters
color white or slightly grayish
appearance silky, striated
GILLS form not crowded
color dull rust brown, white edges
SPORES color dull rust brown
size 6.5 - 7.5 x 4.5 - 5.0 x 4.5 - 5.0 micrometers
shape ellipsoid, distinct germ-pore
DOSAGE fresh grams N/A (LD), N/A (MD), N/A (HD)
mg/g psilocybin 9.30 - 4.50
mg/g psilocin 0.70 - 0.00
mg/g baeocystin 0.30 - 1.00

Conocybe smithii

a.k.a. Galera cyanopes

This tiny mushroom is scattered among mosses in swamps, boggy areas and ditches. Found in the northern parts of the U.S. and Canada.
CAP diameter 0.3 - 1.3 centimeters
color ochre/cinnamon brown, darker at edges
appearance sharply conical but expands with age, glistens when wet, hygrophanous
STEM diameter 0.75 - 1.00 millimeters
length 1 - 7 centimeters
color pure white
appearance fragile, slightly swollen at base
GILLS form crowded, broad
color ochre/cinnamon brown
SPORES color rust cinnamon brown
size 7.0 - 9.0 x 4.0 - 4.5 x 4.0 - 4.5 micrometers
shape ellipsoid, small but distinct germ-pore
DOSAGE fresh grams N/A (LD), N/A (MD), N/A (HD)
mg/g psilocybin N/A
mg/g psilocin N/A
mg/g baeocystin 0.40 - 0.80

Galera cyanopes

see: Conocybe smithii

Galera cyanopus

see: Conocybe cyanopus

Naematoloma caerulescens

see: Stropharia cubensis

Panaeolina foenisecii

a.k.a. Panaeolus foenisecii, Psilocybe foenisecii, "Mower's mushroom"

A very popular mushroom on lawns, grasses and cattle fields of all kind. Unlike other Panaeolus species it does not grow on dung! Grows from midsummer to first signs of winter. This one's everywhere!!!
CAP diameter 1 - 3 centimeters
color light brown to dark brown; dries to yellow-brown
appearance broad, bluntly conical to bell-shaped, expanding to convex, broadly umbonate, or nearly plant; surface smooth or cracking into scales in dry weather; hygrophanous but not viscid; chestnut-brown to dark brown or cinnamon brown when moist fades as it dries to dingy buff or tan, often with darker marginal band when partially dru; flesh thin and fragile
STEM diameter 2 - 3 millimeters
length 4 - 10 centimeters
color paler than cap
appearance constant diameter, sometimes with enlarged base, fragile, more or less smooth, white to dingy brownish, often becoming brown from the base upward
GILLS form adnate to adnexed or seceding, fairly close
color brown to deep/grayish/chocolate brown, faces often mottled and edges paler or whitish
SPORES color violet brown
size 12 - 17 x 7 - 9 x 7 - 9 micrometers
shape lemon shaped, large sprouter
DOSAGE fresh grams N/A (LD), N/A (MD), N/A (HD)
mg/g psilocybin 0.30
mg/g psilocin 0.00
mg/g baeocystin N/A
OTHER Often found with other Panaeolus species.
"Mini-model" of Pa. subbalteatus.
Very low psilocybin content and some specimens have none at all.
Tastes horrible! Tea recommended.

Panaeolus acuminatus

a.k.a. Panaeolus rickenii

Grows in horse pastures and rarely on horse manure. From midsummer to the borders of winter. This fragile shroom is quite popular in Scandinavia and northern Europe.
CAP diameter 1 - 2 centimeters
color dark brown/black when wet, dark grey when dry, light brown from the center
appearance cone-shaped, hygrophilous
STEM diameter 1 - 3 millimeters
length 5 - 12 centimeters
color greyish
appearance N/A
GILLS form crowded together
color grey to black, white tips
SPORES color violet brown
size 12 - 16 x 8 - 11 x 8 - 11 micrometers
shape lemon shaped
DOSAGE mushrooms 40 (LD), 100 (MD), 150 (HD)
mg/g psilocybin N/A
mg/g psilocin N/A
mg/g baeocystin N/A
OTHER Makes a good strawberry milkshake!

Panaeolus ater

Fruits in forest clearings and cow pastures from spring to fall.
CAP diameter 1 - 2 centimeters
color dark brown when wet, pale yellow-brown when dry
appearance bell-shaped, spreads until hemispherical, smooth, hygrophilous.
STEM diameter 1 - 3 millimeters
length 3 - 7 centimeters
color paler from tip, darker from bottom
appearance N/A
GILLS form narrowly attached
color first dark grey then black
SPORES color N/A
size 9 - 14 x 6 - 7.5 x 6 - 7.5 micrometers
shape lemon shaped
DOSAGE fresh grams N/A (LD), N/A (MD), N/A (HD)
mg/g psilocybin N/A
mg/g psilocin N/A
mg/g baeocystin N/A

Panaeolus benanosis

see: Panaeolus subbalteatus

Panaeolus campanulatus

Grows in cattle pastures and especially on horse manure, from midsummer to fall.
CAP diameter 2 - 4 centimeters
color brown/gray/olive gray when fresh, reddish-brown and paler olive/tan/buff when drier
appearance bluntly conical or bell-shaped, expands very little with age; surface not viscid, often shiny when dry, smooth or finely wrinkled or often cracking to form scales (especially in sunlight); margin hung with small, white, toothlike veil remnants, at least when young; flesh thin and fragile
STEM diameter 1 - 3 millimeters
length 5 - 15 centimeters
color grey or greyish brown
appearance equal or thicker at apex, brittle or fragile, slightly powdered
GILLS form adnate or adnexed but often seceding, fairly close
color first grey, blacken with age; edges whitish
SPORES color black
size 13 - 18 x 7 - 12 x 7 - 12 micrometers
shape elliptical and smooth
DOSAGE mushrooms N/A (LD), N/A (MD), N/A (HD)
mg/g psilocybin N/A
mg/g psilocin N/A
mg/g baeocystin N/A
OTHER Psilocybin content evidently varies, some people have eaten over 100 of these with no effects.

Panaeolus foenisecii

see: Panaeolina foenisecii

Panaeolus rickenii

see: Panaeolus acuminatus

Panaeolus sphinctrinus

Grows on manure of all kind, from summer to fall.
CAP diameter 1 - 4 centimeters
color grey to greyish brown, paler when dry
appearance bell-shaped, usually smooth but sometimes bumpy, not hygrophilous, white scales on the edge
STEM diameter 1 - 3 millimeters
length 5 - 12 centimeters
color grey, paler from tip
appearance erect, powdery
GILLS form adnate
color grey brown/black, white tips, veil remnants
SPORES color N/A
size 14 - 18 x 8 - 12 x 8 - 12 micrometers
shape lemon shaped, with germ-pore
DOSAGE mushrooms N/A (LD), 200 (MD), N/A (HD)
mg/g psilocybin 1.90
mg/g psilocin N/A
mg/g baeocystin N/A

Panaeolus subbalteatus

a.k.a. Panaeolus benanosis


Widespread, found in temperate zones including Canada, the northern parts of the U.S. and northern Europe. Grows on grasses, lawns, pastures, roadsides; prefers fertilized or manured soil. Grows in the spring and fall.
CAP diameter 2 - 6 centimeters
color variable; brown to reddish/cinnamon brown when moist, fading as it dries to tan/buff/whitish, margin often stays darker when dry
appearance broad, convex or bluntly conical, becoming broadly convex to broadly unbonate to plane or with an uplifted margin; surface smooth or wrinkled, in age sometimes breaking into scales (fissured), not viscid; flesh thin, brownish
STEM diameter 3 - 5 millimeters
length 5 - 10 centimeters
color brown to reddish-brown, often dusted by spores
appearance equal or tapered at either end, hollow but not fragile; usually longitudinally striated throughout
GILLS form adnate to adnexed or seceding, close, broad
color pale watery brown or reddish brown, darkens gradually to black; edges whitish, faces mottled
SPORES color dark brown
size 11 - 14 x 7 - 9 x 6 - 8 micrometers
shape lens-shaped, with germ pore
DOSAGE fresh grams 30 (LD), 60 (MD), 100 (HD)
mushrooms 5-10 (LD), 20-40 (MD), 60-90 (HD)
mg/g psilocybin 1.50 - 6.00
mg/g psilocin 0.00
mg/g baeocystin 0.01-0.05
IMAGES See the Panaeolus subbalteatus page.
OTHER Often forms tufts of 2-4 fruitbodies.
There are several distinct subtypes of Pa. subbalteatus, this is the most common one.
Pa. subbalteatus bears some resemblence to Panaeolina foenisecii.

Psathyra pelliculosa

see: Psilocybe semilanceata

Psilocybe aerugineomaculans

see: Psilocybe subaeruginascens

Psilocybe atrorufa

see: Psilocybe montana

Psilocybe aztecorum

a.k.a. Psilocybe mexicana var. longispora

Found only around Paso de Cortés and Puebla, Mexico, between 3300 and 3700 m elevation. Found in small clusters in open pine woods, fruits in September only.
CAP diameter 1.5 - 2.5 centimeters
color milk white to yellowish
appearance starts obtuse to subumbonate, expands to broadly conical; edge of cap may become cracked
STEM diameter 0.2 - 0.4 centimeters
length 3.0 - 6.0 centimeters
color whitish, possibly with gray discolored portions
appearance fibrous, veil remnants may be visible
GILLS form closely spaced, broad
color deep purple brown, pallid/whitish edges
SPORES color dark dull ochre brown
size 11 - 14 x 5 - 8 x 5 - 8 micrometers
shape elongated ellipsoid, with germ-pore
DOSAGE mushrooms 2-3 (LD), 4-10 (MD), 20-40 (HD)
mg/g psilocybin N/A
mg/g psilocin N/A
mg/g baeocystin N/A
OTHER Ps. aztecorum resembles Ps. mexicana to some degree and was originally thought to be a variant. Dosage has been estimated on the assumption that they are equally potent; it is known to be a hallucinogen.

Psilocybe baeocystis


Can be found growing on ground bark, wood chips, peat moss and sometimes on lawns. Common on campuses. This popular mushroom appears from fall through midsummer in large clumps. Prevalent throughout the Pacific Northwest. Fruits prolifically from fall through winter.
CAP diameter 1.4 - 5.4 centimeters
color olive brown to buffy brown, greenish if touched
appearance edge of cap undulates like a bottle cap or umbrella, a brown spot appears in the center of the cap after drying
STEM diameter 2.0 - 3.0 millimeters
length 5.0 - 7.0 centimeters
color white except for yellowish apex
appearance often characterized by twisting bends
GILLS form relatively closed spaced
color dark cinnamon or gray
SPORES color gray
size 10 - 13 x 6 - 7 x 6 - 7 micrometers
shape cylindrical with tapered corners
DOSAGE fresh grams N/A (LD), N/A (MD), N/A (HD)
mg/g psilocybin 1.50-8.50
mg/g psilocin 0.50-5.90
mg/g baeocystin 0.10-1.00
IMAGES See the Psilocybe baeocystis page.
OTHER As the name indicates, it has a lot of baeocystin.
This is the only common Psilocybe for which a fatality, a 7-year-old boy, is known.

Psilocybe caerulescens

a.k.a. Psilocybe mazatecorum, "Durrumbe," "Landslide"


Found throughout the southern United States, from California to Louisiana and South Carolina to Florida; a Mexican variety called Ps. caerulescens mazatecorum exists. Evidently unknown elsewhere. Grows on the banks of rivers and streams in the summer during rainy season.
CAP diameter 2.0 - 8.8 centimeters
color deep green to black, fades with age
appearance cone-shaped when young, expands to convex/flat (never bowl-shaped), smooth and sticky, no nipple, margin of cap lighter/darker than center
STEM diameter 0.2 - 1.0 centimeters
length 4.0 - 12.2 centimeters
color glassy-white to grayish
appearance even, hollow, smooth, tough, covered w/hairs, possibly remnants of evanescent veil
GILLS form closely spaced
color light gray to dark brown/black as it ages
SPORES color deep purple brown
size 6 - 8 x 5 - 6 x 4 - 5 micrometers
shape elliptic to inequilateral, broad germ pore
DOSAGE mushrooms 2-3 (LD), 4-10 (MD), 20-40 (HD)
mg/g psilocybin N/A
mg/g psilocin N/A
mg/g baeocystin N/A
IMAGES See the Psilocybe caerulescens page.
OTHER The dosage is an estimate; the mushroom is said to be roughly equivalent to Str. cubensis.

Psilocybe cubensis

see: Stropharia cubensis

The nomenclature of this mushroom remains confused. Europeans and most ethnopharmacologists call it by its original name, Stropharia (Psilocybe) cubensis Earle, which is the name its discoverer R.E. Schultes gave it. However, the American mycologist Rolf Singer reclassified it as Psilocybe cubensis (Earle) Singer, which is what mycologists usually call it. We have decided to stick with Stropharia cubensis.

Psilocybe cyanescens

a.k.a. "Wavy Caps," "Blue Halos"


Doesn't grow on dung, but on hardwoods and woodchips. Inhabits landscaped yards containing ground bark and dwells under Douglas fir or cedar and in mulched rhododendron beds. Fruits prolifically from fall through winter in the Pacific Northwest, also found in England.
CAP diameter 1.5 - 4.0 centimeters
color chestnut brown, lightens to yellowish with age
appearance broad and conves, expands with age to plane or margin uplifted, viscid when moist, margin of cap often stained blue (hence the nickname)
STEM diameter 2.5 - 6.0 millimeters
length 3.0 - 8.0 centimeters
color dry whitish
appearance silky, fibrous, base enlarged and often curved
GILLS form typically adneted, sometimes seceding; fairly closely spaced; veil remnants may form tiny ring
color cinnamon color becomes dark brown, edges paler
SPORES color purple-brown/purple-gray/purple-black
size 9 - 12 x 6 - 8 x 5 - 8 micrometers
shape nearly elliptic, smooth, broad germ pore
DOSAGE dried grams N/A (LD), 2-2.5 (MD), N/A (HD)
mushrooms 1-2 (LD), 3-4 (MD), 5+ (HD)
mg/g psilocybin 3.20-16.8
mg/g psilocin 2.00-5.10
mg/g baeocystin 0.10-0.50
IMAGES See the Psilocybe cyanescens page.
OTHER Generally grows in clusters.
The most potent Psilocybe mushroom known.

Psilocybe foenisecii

see: Panaeolina foenisecii

Psilocybe mazatecorum

see: Psilocybe caerulescens

Psilocybe mexicana

a.k.a. "Teonanácatl"


Found only in Southern Mexico and Guatemala. Grows from May to October in the zone between tropical and temperate climates (1500-1800 meters), in open fields or meadows but never dung.
CAP diameter 0.5 - 3.3 centimeters
color deep ochre to ochre brown
appearance starts conical, gradually inverts to convex, then flat and finally bowl-shaped; has a central "nipple"
STEM diameter 0.1 - 0.3 centimeters
length 2.0 - 8.0 centimeters
color ochre, usually paler than cap
appearance hollow
GILLS form closely to medium spaced
color pale gray, whitish edges
SPORES color deep sepia to dark purple brown
size 9 - 11 x 7 - 8 x 5 - 7 micrometers
shape compressed, elliptic/rhombic, with germ-pore
DOSAGE mushrooms 2-3 (LD), 4-10 (MD), 20-40 (HD)
mg/g psilocybin N/A
mg/g psilocin N/A
mg/g baeocystin N/A
IMAGES See the Psilocybe mexicana page.
OTHER Ps. mexicana is the original "magic mushroom" of the Mazatec Indians and the first one discovered by the West.
Ps. mexicana always grows solitary, but there are usually many others near each fruitbody.

Psilocybe mexicana var longispora

see: Psilocybe aztecorum

Psilocybe montana

a.k.a. Psilocybe atrorufa

Grows in low moss on sandy land, roadsides etc. From summer to fall, sometimes in spring, quite popular.
CAP diameter 0.5 - 2 centimeters
color red-brown, paler when dry
appearance hemispherical, sticky when wet
STEM diameter 1 - 2 millimeters
length 1 - 4 centimeters
color light brown
appearance crumbles easily
GILLS form widely spaced
color first light brown, become purple-brown with age
SPORES color N/A
size 6 - 9 x 5 - 6 x 4 - 5 micrometers
shape oval shaped
DOSAGE mushrooms 40 (LD), 100 (MD), 200 (HD)
fresh grams 5 (LD), 15 (MD), 30 (HD)
mg/g psilocybin 0.0 (?)
mg/g psilocin 0.0 (?)
mg/g baeocystin N/A
IMAGES See the Psilocybe montana page.
OTHER Chemical studies have found no psilocybin or psilocin in this, yet reports of its use exist. Caveat emptor.

Psilocybe pelliculosa

see: Psilocybe semilanceata


Psilocybe pugetensis

see: Psilocybe stuntzii

Psilocybe semilanceata

a.k.a. Psathyra pelliculosa, Psilocybe pelliculosa, "Liberty Cap"


Found in northern temperate zone throughout the world. Grows inland up to a thousand miles (1500 km) from the ocean. Northwestern U.S, Scandinavia, the British Isles and western Europe. Very popular in Norway and other parts of Scandinavia. Fruits in grasses and cow pastures, parks and roadsides in the fall.
CAP diameter 5 - 10 millimeters
color brown, drying to yellowish brown
appearance sharply conical, small "nipple" on top, never expands, incurved, striated margin, sticky when wet
STEM diameter 2 - 3 millimeters
length 6 - 10 centimeters
color pallid to yellowish or brown, darkens with age, does not bruise blue
appearance wavy and tough, fibrilliose, veil absent or rudimentary, small dark ring may be present
GILLS form adnate or adnexed, slant upwards to almost vertical
color first pale, soon becomes purplish brown
SPORES color brown
size 12 - 16 x 7 - 9 x 7 - 9 micrometers
shape ellipsoid, with germ-pore
DOSAGE mushrooms 5-10 (LD), 20-40 (MD), 60-90 (HD)
mg/g psilocybin 10.0 - 11.0
mg/g psilocin 0.00
mg/g baeocystin 0.90-3.40
IMAGES See the Psilocybe semilanceata page.
OTHER Ps. pelliculosa is actually a separate species, but the two are indistinguishable to the naked eye. It grows in sawdust or wood chip piles in forests where lumberjacks have been working. The two can be distinguished by spore size, with Ps. pelliculosa spores being smaller at 9-13 x 5-7 x 5-7 micrometers. Ps. pelli. is also weaker in potency, having only 1.2-7.1 mg/g and 0.0-0.5 mg/g psilocybin and baeocystin respectively.
Ps. semil. contains more baeocystin than most other Psilocybes, which may account for the subjective difference in quality.

Psilocybe stuntzii

a.k.a. Psilocybe pugetensis


Commonly found in Washington state (U.S.) and British Columbia (Canada). Found on lawns, in fields and bark mulch; originally identified growing on the U of Washington campus! Fruits from August to December.
CAP diameter 0.5 - 3.5 centimeters
color variable; deep olive-brown to chestnut brown if young, fading to dingy yellow-brown or yelloish buff; margin often tinged greenish
appearance bluntly conical becoming convex to broadly umbonate, plane, or with upliften margin; viscid when moist; margin striate when moist
STEM diameter 1.5 - 4.0 millimeters
length 2.0 - 7.0 centimeters
color white to ochraceous brown
appearance becomes hollow with age, equal or thicker at either end, often curved, not viscid, veil may form fragile ring or fibrillose zone
GILLS form adnate or adnexed, narrow, close to well spaced
color chocolate brown to violet/black, whitish edges
SPORES color deep violet to dark purple
size 8 - 12 x 6 - 7 x 6 - 7 micrometers
shape not quite elliptic, with germ-pore
DOSAGE fresh grams N/A (LD), N/A (MD), N/A (HD)
mg/g psilocybin 3.6 - 0.4
mg/g psilocin 0.1 - 0.6
mg/g baeocystin 0.0 - 0.2
IMAGES See the Psilocybe stuntzii page.
OTHER This mushroom is quite similar to Ps. cyanescens, Ps. venenata and Ps. subaeruginascens; however, the latter two do not grow in Northern America. There are also some poisonous Galerina species that resemble Ps. stuntzii, so be careful. (see this image of Ps. stuntzii and Galerina autumnalis growing in close proximity). The Galerinas grow in forested areas, not lawns and fields.
Ps. stuntzii can grow either in clusters or solitary.

Psilocybe subaeruginosa

Found throughout Australia and regions nearby. Grows solitary or in groups on soil in forests.
CAP diameter up to 5 centimeters
color "biscuit brown," darker when wet
appearance conical with inturned edge when young, becomes convex when older
STEM diameter relatively thin
length up to 10 centimeters
color white with occasional grey/blue/green blotches
appearance conical with inturned edge when young, becomes convex with older
GILLS form closely spaced, may be attached to stem
color smoky brown/black
SPORES color purplish brown
size 10 - 15 x 5 - 9 x 5 - 9 micrometers
shape ellipsoid, with germ-pore
DOSAGE mushrooms 2-5 (LD), 5-13 (MD), 20+ (HD)
mg/g psilocybin N/A
mg/g psilocin N/A
mg/g baeocystin N/A

Psilocybe subaeruginascens

a.k.a. Psilocybe aerugineomaculans, Stropharia caerulescens, Stropharia venenata.

Found in some parts of Asia, at least northern Japan and Java, Indonesia. Usually found on horse manure but evidently grows on rotten wood as well.
CAP diameter 1.5-2.5 centimeters
color whitish with smoke-brown center
appearance flat to convex, glabrous and smooth
STEM diameter 1.5-3.0 millimeters
length 3.0-4.0 centimeters
color white
appearance traces of veil may remain as a small ring
GILLS form widely spaced
color grayish brown, edges paler
SPORES color violet brown
size 8 - 10 x 7 - 7 x 6 - 7 micrometers
shape ellipsoid, with germ-pore
DOSAGE fresh grams N/A (LD), N/A (MD), N/A (HD)
mg/g psilocybin N/A
mg/g psilocin N/A
mg/g baeocystin N/A
OTHER This mushroom is known to be hallucinogenic in reasonable doses, but unlike most other Psilocybes it is also toxic and possibly even lethal in higher ones (deaths are known). Caveat emptor!

Psilocybe zapotecorum

a.k.a. "Mbey San," "Piule de Barda"

Found only in Oaxaca, Mexico. Grows primarily on soil in swamps.
CAP diameter 6.0-11.0 centimeters
color ochre yellow to brown/purple/black
appearance bell-shaped, becomes breast-shaped; always twisted and asymmetric in shape
STEM diameter 1.0-2.0 centimeters
length 10.0 - 20.0 centimeters
color brownish (inside of stem lighter or white)
appearance very fibrous, elastic, often twisted, hollow
GILLS form rather closely spaced, not very broad
color violet-purple
SPORES color brown purple
size 6 - 9 x 4 - 5 x 3 - 4 micrometers
shape compressed ellipsoid, with germ-pore
DOSAGE mushrooms N/A (LD), N/A (MD), N/A (HD)
mg/g psilocybin N/A
mg/g psilocin N/A
mg/g baeocystin N/A
OTHER Ps. zapotecorum is used as a hallucinogen by Chatino and Zapotec Indians.

Stropharia caerulescens

see: Psilocybe subaeruginascens

Stropharia cyanescens

see: Stropharia cubensis

Stropharia cubensis

a.k.a. Naematoloma caerulescens, Psilocybe cubensis, Stropharia cyanescens, "San Isidro"

Found throughout the southern United States, from California to Louisiana and South Carolina to Florida, as well as most of Central and South America, and parts of southeast Asia. Arrived to the Americas with Spanish Brahma cattle from the Philippine Islands. Grows on cow manure or manure-fertilized soil.
CAP diameter 1.6-8.0 centimeters
color pure white to light brown, translucent when wet
appearance starts conical, gradually inverts to convex, then to flat and finally bowl-shaped; has a gold center spot; covered by sticky protective film; flesh firm and white; margin sometimes hung with veil remnants
STEM diameter 0.4-1.4 centimeters
length 4.0 - 15.0 centimeters
color white or bluish-stained
appearance membranous, usually forms a thin fragile ring on stalk which is blackened by falling spores
GILLS form closely spaced, initially attached to stem but may separate with age
color light brown/gray to deep purple/black, edges whitish
SPORES color dark brown to blackish
size 12 - 17 x 8 - 12 x 7 - 9 micrometers
shape smooth, nearly elliptic, with germ-pore
DOSAGE mushrooms 2-3 (LD), 4-10 (MD), 20-40 (HD)
dried grams 1-2 (LD), 3-5 (MD), 10-20 (HD)
mg/g psilocybin 4.00 - 12.0
mg/g psilocin 0.00 - 1.00
mg/g baeocystin 0.00 - 0.20
IMAGES See the Stropharia cubensis page.
OTHER Str. cubensis is the most important of the psilocybian mushrooms, being common in the Americas and relatively easy to cultivate.
Str. cubensis variety cyanescens, found in Florida, is a sort of albino Str. cub. with very little pigment in the cap.
Str. cubensis variety caerulescens, found in Indochina, has cap colored clear yellow in some places.

Stropharia venenata

see: Psilocybe subaeruginascens

Other psychoactive species

Here is a brief list of dosage information on some other mushrooms. Some Psilocybes that are known to contain no psilocybin/psilocin are included. Descriptions have been purposely omitted, since I don't have enough info for a full-scale description like the ones above; if you are interested, look them up in a guide.

Genus species Shrooms fresh Grams fresh Psilocybin mg/g dry Psilocin mg/g dry Baeocystis mg/g dry Notes
BOLETUS
erythropus
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100+

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---		 1
COPRINUS
narcoticus
niveus
patouillardii
---
---
---
50+
50+
50+
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---
---
---
---
---
---
---
---
---
---
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GYMNOPILUS
purpuratus
---
---
1.0-3.4
1.0-3.1
0.1-0.5
---
INOCYBE
aeruginascens
---
---
4.0
0.0
2.1
---
PANAEOLUS
olivaceus
---
---
0.05
0.0
---
---
PLUTEUS
atricapillus
salicinus
---
---
---
---
0.05
2.1-3.0
0.0
0.0-0.5
---
---
---
---
PSATHYRELLA
candolleana
---
---
0.04
0.05
---
---
PSILOCYBE
bohemica
bullacea
cookei
coprophila
inquilina
merdaria
muscorum
percivalii
rhombispora
squamosa
subcoprophila
---
40-200
10-25
50-200
---
---
40-200
---
---
---
---
---
5-30
2-10
15-100
---
---
5-30
---
---
---
---
8.5-9.3
---
---
0.0
0.0
0.0
---
0.0
0.0
0.0
0.0
---
---
---
0.0
0.0
0.0
---
0.0
0.0
0.0
0.0
---
---
---
---
---
---
---
---
---
---
---
---
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2
3
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Notes:

  1. Has poisonous lookalikes.
  2. Very similar to Ps. semilanceata.
  3. No psilocybin or psilocin detected chemically despite reports of successful use as a hallucinogen.

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The contents of this site are for historical, educational, and scientific reference only.
WARNING: Preparing Psilocybin mushrooms is illegal in most countries. Copyleft 2003