Biological Aspects

Psilocybe fruiting bodies are typically little, insignificant mushrooms using the average "little brown mushroom" morphology. Macroscopically, it is characterized by their microscopic to from time to time medium size, red to orange-white coloration, hygrophanous pileus, and the spore print-color that ranges from medium gray-'last to dark purple-black (though rusty-light brown colorful varieties come known within at least a single mintage). Hallucinogenic mintage usually have a blue-staining reaction after a fruiting system is bruised. Microscopically, it is characterized by cutis-type pileipellis, lack of chrysocystidia, and spores that come smooth, spheroidal to rhomboid to subhexagonal within shape, using the distinct apical germ pore. Ecologically, tons mintage of Psilocybe come saprotrophs, growing on various sort of decaying organic matter.

The recent survey of the molecular phylogeny of the agarics by Moncalvo, et al. (2002)[http://www.botany.utoronto.ca/faculty/moncalvo/117clade.pdf] indicates that a genus Psilocybe every bit presently defined is polyphyletic, falling into two distinct clades that are not directly related both more. A blue-staining hallucinogenic coinage be a single clade & a non-bluing coinage be a more. within case this choosing is supported by more studies, it might effect in the freshly genus existence split murder from either Psilocybe. Since a type species (Psilocybe montana) occurs as non-bluing metal money, a non-bluing clade may locate a title Psilocybe, when a bluing clade is renamed as a separate genus.

Psilocybe is set taxonomically in the agaric personal Strophariaceae based upon its spore and pileipellis morphology. Still, molecular studies suggest that the Strophariaceae can be a polyphyletic grouping of several clades that come fairly about every more, but not necessarily sister taxa, hence, the accurate relationship of Psilocybe to more agaric genera awaits farther survey. A phyletic learn by Moncalvo, et al. (2002)[http://www.botany.utoronto.ca/faculty/moncalvo/117clade.pdf] has confirmed that a agaric genus Melanotus is simply the subgroup of the non-bluing Psilocybe, & likewise points to a close relationship between a latter class action & the genera Kuehneromyces and Phaeogalera.

Geographically, mintage inside that genus come observed throughout a world in virtually all biomes, by having the exception of high deserts. For the bluing Psilocybe, a greatest metal money diversity seems to become in the neotropics, from Mesoamerica across Brazil & Chile (Guzman 1983). Psilocybe come witnessed inside the kind of home ground & substrates. Numerous of the bluing mintage discovered around moderate regions, like P. cyanescens, seem to keep close at hand an affinity for landscaped areas mulched using woodchips and are actually like uncommon within natural settings flushed from either mortal habitation. Contrary to popular belief, simply the minority of Psilocybe mintage, like P. coprophila & P. cubensis, develop directly in muck. Several more metal money come encountered within home ground like mossy, grassy, or even forward humus soils.

Chemistry and Pharmacology

A blue-staining metal money of Psilocybe come characterized per presence of psilocin and psilocybin. the blue-staining reaction, spell non wholly understood, is thought to exist as the from either a degradation reaction of psilocybinside, hence the degree of bluing in a Psilocybe fruiting immune system correlates directly by having a concentration of psilocybin in the mushroom. psilocybin is chemically far extra stable than psilocin, a latter compound existence largely misused whenever a mushroom is heated or even dried.

psilocin & psilocybin come hallucinogenic compounds and come responsible the psychotropic results one mushrooms. (Watch Psilocybin for a other inside-depth discussion of the materia medica of psilocybin & psilocin.)

A bit of psychotropic metal money contain baeocystin and norbaeocystin in addition to psilocin & psilocin.

History and Ethnography

Hallucinogenic metal money of Psilocybe have a yearn history of utilize among a native peoples of Mesoamerica for religious communion, divination, and healing, from either pre-Columbian days as much as a present day. Mushroom-shaped figurine obtained at archeological web sites seem to suggest that ritual have of hallucinogenic mushrooms is quite ancient. Mushroom stones have been found around pre-Classic sites from Guatemala to El Salvador even, though there exists considerable disputation whether these objects come associated by owning a utilise of hallucinogenic mushrooms or whether a objects experienced another significance & a mushroom shape is only coincidence. Supplementary concretely, the figurine dating from either ca. 200 CE & portraying the mushroom strongly resembling Psilocybe mexicana was found around the west Mexican shaft and chamber tomb in Colima state.

Hallucinogenic Psilocybe were known to the Aztecs as teonanacatl and were reportedly served at a enthronement of Moctezuma II in 1502. Fallowing a Spanish conquest, a have of hallucinogenic plants & mushrooms, rather more pre-Christian traditions, was forcibly suppressed & caused underground.

Per 20th century, hallucinogenic mushroom utilize was thought by non-Indians to use disappeared totally. A select few authors potentially held that Mesoamerican cultures did non apply mushrooms when psychedelic drug in a least & that the Spanish got only mistaken peyote for a mushroom. Late investigations by Blas Reko, Richard Evans Schultes, and R. Gordon Wasson demonstrated that hallucinogenic mushrooms were still widely used by several indigenous Mesoamerican peoples, particularly the Mazatecs of Oaxaca.

Now, hallucinogenic mushroom utilize has been reported among the total of groups spanning from either central Mexico to Oaxaca, including groups of Nahua, Mixtecs, Mixe, Mazatecs, Zapotecs, and others. There has non, notwithstanding, been any confirmed observations of hallucinogenic mushroom apply among a Maya peoples, either in the pre-Columbian or post-Email eras.

Medical and Psychiatric Aspects

Social and Legal Aspects

Notable Species

Psilocybe cubensis, (= Stropharia cubensis); the virtually all usually grown & consumed Psilocybe, due to ease of cultivation & big size of carpophores; nicknamed a commercial Psilocybe. Psilocybe semilanceata, found inside northern moderate climates; nicknamed a Liberty Cap. Psilocybe cyanescens, native to northwestern North America; nicknamed wavy-capped Psilocybe.

View "List of Psilocybe species" for a further complete listing of psychotropic metal money.