Psilocybe subaeruginosa

Psilocybe subaeruginosa is a psychedelic mushroom of Australia and New Zealand, which has psilocybin and psilocin as main active compounds.
First reported in 1927Cleland J, Burton J. (1927). Australian fungi: notes and descriptions—No. 6. Transactions and Proceedings of the Royal Society of South Australia 51: 298-306., it is placed in the section Cyanescens, which includes Psilocybe cyanescens and Psilocybe maire.
Studies of comparative morphology, isozyme analysis and mating compatibility approaches have showed that P. australiana, P. eucalypta and P. tasmania are synonyms of this species.Chang YS, Mills AK. (1992). Reexamination of Psilocybe subaeruginosa and related species with comparative morphology, isozymes and mating compatibility studies. Mycological Research 96(6): 429-441.
== Description ==
*The cap is 1-6 cm in diameter, conical to convex, tan brown, hygrophanous, margin striate when moist, uplifting in age, and often with a slight umbo. It bruises bluish where damaged.
*The gills are crowded, cream color when young, violet brown in age, with adnate to adnexed attachment.
*The spores are dark violet brown, subellipsoid, and 14 x 7 µm.
*The stipe is 4.5 to 12 cm long, 0.2 to 0.4 cm thick, white to grey, finely striate, and equal to slightly enlarged near the base. A white cortinate partial veil soon disappears and often leaves traces in the upper stem.
*The taste and odor are farinaceous.
==Distribution and habitat==
Psilocybe subaeruginosa grows in clusters in wood chips, piles of leaves and woody debris in urban areas, and along trails and roads in deciduous forests and gardens. It is common in Australia; it is one of the most common Psilocybe sp. mushrooms found in and around New Zealand.
==Alkaloid content==
Psilocybin has been isolated from this species in 0.45% yield.Picker J, Richards RW. (1970). Occurrence of psychomimetic agent psilocybin in an Australian agaric, Psilocybe subaeruginosa. Australian Journal of Chemistry 23(4): 853-856. In the same study, Psilocin was not detectable with the analytical methods used (chromatographic separation and UV spectroscopy), and was estimated to be present at less than 1% of the psilocybin content.
==References==
*Johnston PR, Buchanan PK. (1995). The genus Psilocybe (Agaricales) in New Zealand. New Zealand Journal of Botany 33(3): 379-388.
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Category:Entheogens