Psilocybe

P. ovoideocystidiata, Washington

Psilocybe fruit bodies are typically small, nondescript mushrooms with a typical "little brown mushroom" morphology. Macroscopically, they are characterized by their small to occasionally medium size, brown to yellow-brown coloration, with a typically hygrophanous cap, and a spore print-color that ranges from lilac-brown to dark purple-brown (though rusty-brown colored varieties are known in at least one species).[11] Hallucinogenic species typically have a blue-staining reaction when the fruit body is bruised. Microscopically, they are characterized by pileipellis with hyphae that run parallel to the pileus surface, forming a cutis, by their lack of chrysocystidia, and by spores that are smooth, ellipsoid to rhomboid to subhexagonal in shape, with a distinct apical germ pore. Ecologically, all species of Psilocybe are saprotrophs, growing on various kinds of decaying organic matter.[12][13]

Global distribution of over 100 psychoactive species of genus Psilocybe mushrooms[14]^: 207

Approximate known range of Psilocybe cyanescens

Geographically, species in this genus are found throughout the world in most biomes.[15] The greatest species diversity seems to be in the neotropics, from Mesoamerica through Brazil and Chile.[14] Psilocybe are found in a variety of habitats and substrates. Many of the species found in temperate regions, such as Psilocybe cyanescens, seem to have an affinity for landscaped areas mulched with woodchips and are actually rather rare in natural settings removed from human habitation. Contrary to popular belief, only a minority of Psilocybe species, such as P. cubensis and P. subcubensis, grow directly on feces.[16] Many other species are found in habitats such as mossy, grassy, or forest humus soils.

P. zapotecorum, Mexico

Hallucinogenic species of Psilocybe have a long history of use among the native peoples of Mesoamerica for religious communion, divination, and healing, from pre-Columbian times up to the present day. Hallucinogenic Psilocybe were known to the aboriginal Mexicans as teonanácatl (literally "divine mushroom")[28] and were reportedly served at the coronation of Moctezuma II in 1502. After the Spanish conquest of the Americas, the use of hallucinogenic plants and mushrooms, like other pre-Christian traditions, was forcibly suppressed and driven underground.[29]

By the 20th century, hallucinogenic mushroom use was thought by non-Native Americans to have disappeared entirely. However, in 1955, Valentina Wasson and R. Gordon Wasson became the first Westerners to actively participate in an indigenous mushroom ceremony. The Wassons did much to publicize their discovery, even publishing an article on their experiences in Life in 1957.[30] In 1956, Roger Heim identified the hallucinogenic mushroom that the Wassons had brought back from Mexico as Psilocybe and in 1958, Albert Hofmann first reported psilocin and psilocybin as the active compound in these mushrooms.[31] There is some skepticism as to whether or not these "sacred mushrooms" were actually in the genus Psilocybe. However, according to Heim's research in Mexico, he identified three species of Psilocybe that he believed were used in these native ceremonies. The species identified by Heim were; P. mexicana, P. caerulescens, and P. zapotecorum.[32][33][34] are a variety of Psilocybe mushrooms that make up the teonanácatl group of hallucinogenic mushrooms, including P. cubensis.[35] Isauro Nava Garcia, a Mazotec man, provided guidance to Heim while Heim conducted his field and culture work.[36] Garcia was an avid observer of the fungi in his environment while identifying specific characteristics about the fruit body of the Psilocybe his ancestors utilized, as well as knowing where they could be found.[36]

At present, hallucinogenic mushroom use has been reported among a number of groups spanning from central Mexico to Oaxaca, including groups of Nahua, Mixtecs, Mixe, Mazatecs, Zapotecs, and others.[37]

The popularization of entheogens by Wasson, Timothy Leary, and others has led to an explosion in the use of hallucinogenic Psilocybe throughout the world. By the early 1970s, a number of psychoactive Psilocybe species were described from temperate North America, Europe, and Asia and were widely collected. Books describing methods of cultivating P. cubensis in large quantities were also published. The relatively easy availability of hallucinogenic Psilocybe from wild and cultivated sources has made it among the most widely used of the hallucinogenic drugs.

P. mexicana, Mexico

The purified chemicals psilocybin and psilocin are listed as Schedule II drugs under the United Nations 1971 Convention on Psychotropic Substances.[38] However, the UN drug treaties do not apply to cultivation, preparation, or international transport of psilocybin mushrooms.

Internationally, the two chemicals are generally considered controlled substances. However, there is much ambiguity about what is considered a "container" of these compounds in several countries (e.g. Brazil), the chemicals themselves are listed as controlled substances, but the mushrooms that contain the chemicals are not, therefore deemed legal.[39] In the United States, possession of Psilocybe mushroom fruiting bodies is illegal in every state except for Florida. This is because the Supreme Court of Florida does not believe that these mushrooms could "reasonably be found to be containers of the schedule I substance, psilocybin".[40]

In the United States there is no federal law mentioning the possession of Psilocybe spores, this is because only the psilocybin and psilocin compounds are considered Schedule I drugs and there is no presence of these compounds in the spores themselves, only in the fruiting body of the cultivated spores. However, there are several US states that have actually prohibited possession of these spores because they can be cultivated to produce these hallucinogenic, Schedule I drugs. These states includes California, Georgia,[41] and Idaho.[39][42]

However, possession of the spores by a qualified mycologist in California is legal if being put to use for research purposes, which must be approved by Research Advisory Panel.[43] If not authorized by law, possession of spores or cultivation of fruiting bodies of the Psilocybe is punishable to not more than one year in county jail or state prison.[43]

Psilocybin mushrooms as well as other "soft drugs" which are stronger than cannabis but not synthetic, are legally available through smart shops in the Netherlands. Only the truffle form of magic mushrooms (such as P. tampanensis) are currently legal, but these still contain the active ingredients and produce similar effect as the caps and stalks.[44]

Psilocybe semilanceata

• Psilocybe cubensis (Stropharia cubensis); the most commonly cultivated and consumed Psilocybe,[45] due to ease of cultivation and large size of fruit bodies; also commonly collected throughout the tropics and subtropics, nicknamed the commercial psilocybe.
• Psilocybe cyanescens; Native to the Pacific Northwest of North America, but also found in western Europe; nicknamed the wavy-cap or wavies.
• Psilocybe semilanceata; The most common psilocybin-containing mushroom.[46] Found in northern temperate climates; nicknamed the liberty cap.
• Psilocybe azurescens, a highly potent species native to the U.S. states of Washington and Oregon, but popular in outdoor cultivation, and expanding its range as a result; nicknamed azies.

• María Sabina

• Emboden, William A. (1979). Narcotic plants (Rev. and enl ed.). New York: Macmillan. ISBN 0-02-535480-9. OCLC 4832354.
• Furst, Peter T. (1976). Hallucinogens and culture. San Francisco. ISBN 0-88316-517-1. OCLC 2120984.{{cite book}}: CS1 maint: location missing publisher (link)
• Haard, Richard; Haard, Karen (1977). Poisonous & hallucinogenic mushrooms (2d ed.). Mayne Island, B.C.: Cloudburst Press. ISBN 0-88930-005-4. OCLC 3131519.
• McKenna, Terence K. (1993). Food of the gods : the search for the original tree of knowledge : a radical history of plants, drugs, and human evolution. New York: Bantam Books. ISBN 0-553-37130-4. OCLC 45078669.
• Metzner, Ralph; Darling, Diane (2005). Sacred mushroom of visions : teonanácatl : a sourcebook on the psilocybin mushroom. Rochester, Vt.: Park Street Press. ISBN 978-1-59477-044-9. OCLC 62216799.
• Ott, Jonathan; Bigwood, Jeremy (1978). Teonanácatl : hallucinogenic mushrooms of North America : extracts from the Second International Conference on Hallucinogenic Mushrooms, held October 27-30, 1977, near Port Townsend, Washington. Seattle: Madrona Publishers. ISBN 0-914842-32-3. OCLC 4135392.
• Oss, O. T.; Oeric, O. N. (1976). Psilocybin, magic mushroom grower's guide : a handbook for psilocybin enthusiasts. Berkeley, Calif.: And/Or Press. ISBN 0-915904-13-6. OCLC 2647420.
• Stamets, Paul. (1996). Psilocybin mushrooms of the world : an identification guide. Berkeley, Calif.: Ten Speed Press. ISBN 0-89815-839-7. OCLC 34514700.