Fairly frequent in Britain and Ireland, where it is rather localised, Psilocybe semilanceata occurs throughout Europe and is found also in North America.
Psilocybe , the genus name, means 'smooth head' - a reference to the silkily mooth, scaleless surface of caps of these grassland mushrooms. The specific epitet semilanceata comes from semi- meaning 'half'and - lanceata which means 'spear-shaped'.
Some of these little mushrooms do indeed look like spears, although many have wiggly stems uncharacteristic of spear shafts. The common name Magic Mushroom is, of course, a reference to the hallucinogenic nature of this grassland species. This species contains the compound psilocybin.
Because this substance, which occurs in Magic Mushrooms and some related fungi, occasionally causes alarming symptoms including vomiting, stomach pains and anxiety attacks, Liberty Caps are probably best treated with caution some people even decide to treat them as poisonous.
It is our understanding that it is illegal to possess or to sell psilocybin in the UK. As of July , fresh psilocybin mushrooms are now also controlled. This species was first described in by the great Swedish mycologist Elias Magnus Fries , who named it Agaricus semilanceatus.
When taken in large amounts, they may cause severe hallucinations and confusion. Misidentification of Psilocybe Semilanceata can be fatal, especially if confused with its toxic lookalikes. Below is an overview of the most common Psilocybe Semilanceata lookalikes. These are mainly found in Western Europe, particularly in the Netherlands. They are also referred to as Stropharia Fimetaria. Psilocybe Fimetaria has a blue base, unlike the Psilocybe Semilanceata.
These are a rare Psilocybe Semilanceata lookalike that is mostly found in the Netherlands. Their main distinguishing characteristics from Psilocybe Semilanceata is that they have a slimy border under the gills. When pulled, the border behaves like a rubber band. Conocybe Apala, like Psilocybe Semilanceata, has cone-shaped caps. However, their stems are whitish, and their spores are reddish-brown. Conocybe Apala is quite frail compared to Psilocybe Semilanceata as they break easily.
They can be found growing in the middle of the grass. Their caps are non-hygrophanous as they remain pale whether the mushroom is young, mature, or dried up. Psilocybe Semilanceata can be distinguished macroscopically from psilocybe strictipes because they lack papilla.
Pholiotina Rugosa is an extremely toxic lookalike of the liberty caps. However, they have some key differentiating features from the Psilocybe Semilanceata, including an annulus zone on the stem and rusty brown spores.
Like the Psilocybe Semilanceata, the Pholiotina Rugosa is hygrophanous. Psilocybe Semilanceata is illegal in most US states and the majority of Europe. Psilocybe Semilanceata is an easily identifiable magic mushrooms because of their unique pointed conical caps, partial cob-web-like veils, and reddish purple-brown spores, and slender yellowish — brownish stems.
Their use, possession, and sale, however, is prohibited in many countries. Be sure to check with your local laws before picking them. Psilocybe cyanescens are popularly known as the wavy caps mushroom. This mushroom is very low in potency and closely resembles some deadly Galerina species which often grow in the same habitat.
This species closely resembles the Liberty Cap but lacks the exaggerated pointy nipple typical of Psilocybe semilanceata and has a heavy zone of veil fibrils around the stem. Psilocybe subfimetaria was first discovered in Vancouver in and also grows in Washington and Oregon. It may be the same as Psilocybe sierra which is found in Chile or merely a distinct form of Psilocybe semilanceata.
Psilocybe subfimetaria. Photo by Stan Czolowski. These delicate and tiny mushrooms grow in wet mossy lawns during wet summers and warm early fall. Because some related Conocybe mushrooms contain deadly toxins, eating these is not recommended. Gymnopilus aeruginosus spore print is reddish brown. This mushroom grows in very rich manured soils of newly laid lawns and landscaping. Panaeolus subbalteatus.
Psilocybe semilanceata Fr. It is both one of the most widely distributed psilocybin mushrooms in nature, and one of the most potent. The mushrooms have a distinctive conical to bell-shaped cap, up to 2. They are yellow to brown, covered with radial grooves when moist, and fade to a lighter color as they mature. Their stipes tend to be slender and long, and the same color or slightly lighter than the cap.
The gill attachment to the stipe is adnexed narrowly attached , and they are initially cream-colored before tinting purple to black as the spores mature. The spores are dark purplish-brown in mass, ellipsoid in shape, and measure The mushroom grows in grassland habitats, especially wetter areas. But unlike P. It is widely distributed in the temperate areas of the Northern Hemisphere, particularly in Europe, and has been reported occasionally in temperate areas of the Southern Hemisphere as well.
The earliest reliable history of P. The possession or sale of psilocybin mushrooms is illegal in many countries. A collection from Norway Pileus: The cap of P. It varies in shape from sharply conical to bell-shaped, often with a prominent papilla a nipple-shaped structure , and does not change shape considerably as it ages. The cap margin is initially rolled inward but unrolls to become straight or even curled upwards in maturity. The cap is hygrophanous, meaning it assumes different colors depending on its state of hydration.
When it is moist, the cap is ochraceous to pale brown to dark chestnut brown, but darker in the center, often with a greenish-blue tinge. When moist, radial lines can be seen through the cap that correspond to the positions of the gills underneath.
When the cap is dry, it becomes much paler, a light yellow-brown color. Moist mushrooms have sticky surfaces that result from a thin gelatinous film called a pellicle. This film becomes apparent if a piece of the cap is broken by bending it back and peeling away the piece. When the cap dries from exposure to the sun, the film turns whitish and is no longer peelable. Gills: On the underside of the mushroom's cap, there are between 15 and 27 individual narrow gills that are moderately crowded together, and they have a narrowly adnexed to almost free attachment to the stipe.
Their color is initially pale brown, but becomes dark gray to purple-brown with a lighter edge as the spores mature. Spore print: deep reddish purple-brown color Stipe: The slender yellowish-brown stipe is 4 - long by 1—3. Veil: The mushroom has a thin cobweb-like partial veil that does not last long before disappearing; sometimes, the partial veil leaves an annular zone on the stipe that may be darkened by spores.
The flesh is thin and membrane-like, and roughly the same color as the surface tissue. Taste and odor: farinaceous Stain: All parts of the mushroom will stain a bluish color if handled or bruised, and it may naturally turn blue with age.
Microscopic characteristics In deposit, the spores are a deep reddish purple-brown color. The use of an optical microscope can reveal further details: the spores are oblong when seen in side view, and oblong to oval in frontal view, with dimensions of The hyphae comprising the ixocutis are cylindrical, hyaline, and 1—3.
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