Gymnopilus sp
went in waves. Increasingly, all colors in her
immediate surroundings coalesced into shades of
green. The hallucinations were fearsome; the heads
of monsters became visible and a wall opened up
into an abyss. There was a succession of human
figure with animal heads. The next day, everything
was back to normal. The oldest child (age 14) also
saw her parents' hair color turn green, had dilated
pupils and watched geometric shapes appear on the
wall.
The youngest child
(age 11) experienced cramps and lost
consciousness.
In 1960, Singer and Guzman suggested
that
Thewondrousmushroomsacredmushroomsinmexicoandmesoamericafreedownloadsite Panaeolus cyanescens might contain
psilocybin, because of the intense blue staining
they had observed. It wasn't until after the
intoxications in Menton had been publicized, that
a research team working with A. Hofmann
detected 0.2% of
muscaria amanita
locatii amanita psilocybin in the mushrooms.
Considering the powerful effects, however, this
concentration appears to be too low to cause such
impressive reactions. Later on, Sandoz
Laboratories reported the level of psilocybin in
dried samples as 0.8%, along with 1.2% psilocin.
The level of psilocin, however, may have been
falsely elevated by the presence of serotonin and
its derivates in the mushroom sample that was
being tested.
According to Stijve, a mushroom sample
collected by J.W. Allen in Thailand contained
0.
4% - 1.05% of psilocin, with only trace
amounts of psilocybin; serotonin was present in
large amounts, comparable to concentrations
found in all Panaeolus species.
Apparently, Panaeolus cyanescens
produces more psilocin than psilocybin. Still, I
was able to detect 0.4% of psilocybin in mycelia
cultivated on malt agar, with no other indole
compounds present.
Discussion of the Panaeolus species
would remain incomplete without pointing out
that those subjectively terrifying psychoses
reported in 1965 cannot be attributed to a specific
mushroom ingredient, but were likely
precipitated by the circumstances (set and setting)
surrounding the incident. The effects described by J.
Allen in Hawaii after eating 20 specimens paint a
different picture altogether:
With radio music playing softly in the
dark, euphoria began to come on in waves. After
20 minutes, visions became so intense that I tried
to close my eyes. Whenever 1 did close my eyes,
my eyelids felt as if they were being sprayed from
the outside. Colors were sharp
locatii amanita muscaria romania
and clear, but
I always quickly opened my eyes again. Colors
were dancing like laser beams to the rhythm of
the music. The stars in the sky assembled in
clusters that reached all the way into my soul. I
was a little scared at the idea that the ocean
water might rush up all the way into our hut.
Other
ask than that, feelings of euphoria were
overwhelming.
At times, I was overcome by fits of
laughter. That night, I slept like "a prince ". The
following morning I gathered up my belongings
and had to walk back across the pasture where I
had collected the mushrooms the day before.
I
noticed a lot o
. For
that reason, freeze-dried samples for biochemical
analysis are stored at -10°C prior to alkaloid
extractions or chromatography testing. In addition
to the reports from Finland, investigators in North
America have noted that psilocybin's decay rate is
slowest in Psilocybe semilanceata, compared to
other species.
(1) R = H2P03
(2) R = H
Figure 19 - Structural formulas for
psilocybin (1) and psilocin (2).
CH3
CH3
Psilocybe semilanceata
Figure 20 - Distribution pattern of Psilocybe semilanceata in Germany and adjacent areas.
Locations are indicated by black dots.
CHAPTER 3.2
PSILOCYBE CYANESCENS - POTENT MUSHROOMS
GROWING ON WOOD DEBRIS
At least one other Psilocybe species in
addition to Psilocybe semilanceata is known to
exist in Europe. At this point, I must emphasize
that the differentiation of single species within
the Psilocybe genus is subject to considerable
controversy among eminent taxonomists. For
example, there are different methods of
distinguishing the Hypholoma genus from the
Stropharia genus.
The Widespread Distribution
of Psilocybe cyanescens
While Psilocybe semilanceata is a species
that has long been clearly defined and is well
known by this name, there are, according to
Krieglsteiner, other strongly bluing mushrooms
that can be described as belonging to the
"Psilocybe cyanescens complex". These are all
mushrooms that grow on raw compost and plant
debris.
In accordance with current states of
knowledge, the following names in the literature
are merely synonyms for Psilocybe cyanescens
Wakefield emend. Krieglsteiner:
different herbariums. However, the microscopic
data pertaining to the Psilocybe species are poorly
delineated and oftentimes overlap. It is therefore
imperative that additional mycological studies of
Psilocybe cyanescens be performed. To this end,
fresh mushroom samples from various European
locations should be used, and biochemical methods
must be included in the investigation. Guzman's
division of Psilocybe cyanescens by geographic
area, however, definitely turned out to be
inaccurate. According to his system, -North Africa
was home to Psilocybe mairei, while Psilocybe
cyanescens were found in England and Holland and
Psilocybe serbica supposedly grew in Serbia and
Bohemia. The geographic distribution of the entire
species seems to cover a vast area, with variations
along climate and terrain at locations where samples
were collected. Such disparate morphologies are to
be expected when dealing with "young" species,
that is, species that have not yet firmly established
themselves and are still expanding into new
locations.
Figure 7 (p. 14) displays locations in
Europe and North Africa where samples of
Psilocybe cyanescens have been found.
- Hypholoma cyanescens R. Maire
- Hypholoma coprinifacies (Rolland ss.
Herink) Pouzar
- Geophila cyanescens (R. Maire) Kuhner &
Romagnesi
- Psilocybe serbica Moser & Horak
- Psilocybe mairei Singer
- Psilocyb
ed
and large numbers of studies were conducted,
primarily with LSD. These investigators sought to
discover the receptor binding sites for
hallucinogenic compounds in the brain and to
understand the mechanisms underlying the
genesis of psychedelic visions. Today, we still
lack a sound theoretical framework able to
explain the relationship between chemical
compounds and the manifestation of their
psychoactivity. Even though basic research is
certainly important, its methods, unfortunately, are
often a function of a rather one-sided
pharmacological approach to investigating the
effects of psilocybin, LSD and mescaline - an
approach that is, in fact, too narrow to address the
remarkably unusual nature of these substances and
their effects.
Misunderstandings between pharmacologists
and toxicologists on the one hand and
psychiatrists and psychologists on the other can
often be traced all the way back to the 1950's,
creating a legacy of disputes and arguments that
have yet to be resolved. S. Grof undertook the
tedious task of analyzing 5,000 experimental LSD
protocols in an effort to isolate "absolute"
symptoms that are reported or occur all of the
time. His results were negative. According to Grof,
hallucinogenic substances are non-specific triggers
causing a sequence of altered states of
consciousness, which do not fit the syndrome
labeled "toxic psychosis". Rather, it is the
individual's personality, along with the
experimental setting that significantly shape the
nature of the psychedelic experience. This view is
shared by a majority of experts with considerable
experience in conducting psychedelics-assisted
psychotherapy. Even "real" somatic symptoms,
such as nausea or vomiting, can often be controlled
through psychological intervention techniques
administered by trained professionals.
A Plethora of Names
The broad range of possible experiences
inspired the use of labels other than
"hallucinogens", with widely differing semantic
connotations: entheogens, psychedelics,
illusionogens, psycholytics, psychomimetics,
psychodysleptica, psychoemetics and others.
"Phantastica" (Lewin) is the oldest label
ever used to describe this class of substances. This
term successfully evokes dream-like, fanciful
aspects of the experience, as well as the potential
for euphoric and dysphoric emotional overtones.
More recent terminology often says more about
semantic biases of those who use the labels than
about any factual, objective characteristics of the
alkaloids they refer to. Accordingly, official antidrug
propaganda since
the 1960's has disparaged "psychedelics" as
excessively glamorous and too positive a label, as
the term was popular among Timothy Leary's fans
and supporters.
When used in low doses or for the first
time, these substances are most likely to bring
about a kind of magical transformation of
surroundings, with a heightened ability to perceive
subtle differences along the color spectru
psilocybe mexicana potency
The majority of adverse physical effects or negative psychological reactions produced by "magic mushrooms" generally result from inappropriate Gold Tops Vs Blue Meanies set and expectation, or because of improper dosage, which may vary considerably among consumers, different mushroom species, or even within an individual species. The question of dosage is often confused by the variation in the source of the hallucinogenic Legality Of Magic Mushrooms Nz mushroom species which is consumed. For example, Psilocybe cubensis, when picked and eaten from its natural dung (manure) habitat, produces a relatively mild mindaltering experience, which is evident from the large amounts of fresh specimens needed to achieve a threshold experience. However when grown in vitro (indoor laboratory cultivation and/or illicit cultivation), Psilocybe cubensis apparently can produce a more potent strain capable of inducing a very intense visual, sometimes quite disturbing, experience. This dosage assumes that the consumption of 1 to 3 gm of dried material would be too low if the mushroom specimen came from a wild source. This low potency for Psilocybe cubensis has been confirmed by research scientists Margot & Watling, (1981), who were surprised by the comparatively small amounts of psilocybin and psilocin which they extracted from wild specimens collected from five different locations in Australia. This suggests that a much larger dose would be required to produce significant hallucinations. It is possible that the chemicals most likely degenerated between the time that they were harvested and the time of analysis. However, it should be noted that a strain of Psilocybe cubensis producing different flushes (harvests) will vary somewhat in potency between flushes.
own
cause of death and disease, bloated stomachs and
insanity. Beliefs such as these have survived to
the present day. They persist, for example,,, as
figures of speech, s u c h as the slick Austrian
description of a societal misfit as someone "who
ate those madness-inducing mushrooms."
But, there is another, very different,
magic mushroom legacy as well.
Flesh of the Gods for Devil Worshippers
The Old World. Mycenaean civilization
began with a mushroom trip -Mushrooms were
an ingredient in the ambrosia of Dionysus.
Porphyrius, the fourth century Latin poet and
contemporary of Emperor Konstantin, knew
that magic mushrooms were the children of the
gods.
WHO WAS THE FIRST MAGICIAN?
A quasi-cannibalistic ritual, the act of eating the
children of the gods unlocked one's power to
experience the truly divine. But not all
mushrooms enable human beings to enter the
realm of divine consciousness. This magic power
resides in only those fungi known as "fool's
mushrooms", which were considered poisonous
and believed to be the spawn of the Devil
throughout the late Middle Ages and well into
modern times.
The New World: The Aztecs in Mexico
referred to a number of small, inconspicuous
mushrooms as teonartacatl, or "flesh of the
Gods." These sacred mushrooms were eaten
during the course of rituals intended to contact
the Gods in order to learn about the world and the
realm of the divine. These magic mushroom
rituals thoroughly spooked the Catholic
Spaniards. The mushroom eaters, commonly
thought of as Devil worshippers, were hounded
by the Inquisition. Still, all good things survive
the tests of time, so the cult of magic mushroom
eaters did not become extinct. Like mycelia
underground, the cult continued to flourish, and
at the proper time in recorded history, in 1957,
the fruit of the fully grown mushroom re-surfaced
to draw widespread public attention. Valentine
and Gordon Wasson became the heroes of the
modern neo-mycophilic movement.
Back to the Old World: The revelations
and insights gained from the use of psychoactive
mushrooms were so magically wonderful, that
our native European "fool's mushrooms" - which
were gene ; considered inedible - had to be
recognized as closely related to the magic
mushrooms of Mexico, the flesh of the Aztec
Gods. The souls of magic mushrooms in Mexico
and Germany are essentially made from the same
substance: psilocybin.
Jochen Gartz has made an extraordinary
contribution to the field of mycology by embracing
Germany's magic mushrooms and the scientific
study and testing of these fungi. The research
efforts upon which this book is based require
nothing less than a fearless, brave and courageous
consciousness, free of prejudice and mycophobia. I
am convinced that a researcher's consciousness
infused by the spirit of the magic mushroom is
capable of far deeper scientific insights than we
can ever expect from the usual ivory tower
academics, isolated from reality
It has been suggested by an Australian physician that Psylocibe Mushrooms Romania the general public in Australia, as well as members of its drug using subculture,
own
cause of death and disease, bloated stomachs and
insanity. Beliefs such as these have survived to
the present day. They persist, for example,,, as
figures of speech, s u c h as the slick Austrian
description of a societal misfit as someone "who
ate those madness-inducing mushrooms."
But, there is another, very different,
magic mushroom legacy as well.
Flesh of the Gods for Devil Worshippers
The Old World.
Mycenaean civilization
began with a mushroom trip -Mushrooms were
an ingredient in the
Psilocybesemilanceatabluestain ambrosia of Dionysus.
Porphyrius, the fourth century Latin poet and
contemporary of Emperor Konstantin, knew
that magic mushrooms were the children of the
gods.
WHO WAS THE FIRST MAGICIAN?
A quasi-cannibalistic ritual, the act of eating the
children of the gods unlocked one's power to
experience the truly divine. But not all
mushrooms enable human beings to enter the
realm of divine consciousness. This magic power
resides in only those fungi known as "fool's
mushrooms", which were considered poisonous
and believed to be the spawn of the Devil
throughout the late Middle Ages and well into
modern times.
The New World: The Aztecs in Mexico
referred to a number of small, inconspicuous
mushrooms as teonartacatl, or "flesh of the
Gods." These sacred mushrooms were eaten
during the course of rituals intended to contact
the Gods in order to learn about the world and the
realm of the divine. These magic mushroom
rituals thoroughly spooked the Catholic
Spaniards. The mushroom eaters, commonly
thought of as Devil worshippers, were hounded
by the Inquisition. Still, all good things survive
the tests of time, so the cult of magic mushroom
eaters did not become extinct. Like mycelia
underground, the cult continued to flourish, and
at the proper time in recorded history, in 1957,
the fruit of the fully grown mushroom re-surfaced
to draw widespread public attention. Valentine
and Gordon Wasson became the heroes of the
modern neo-mycophilic movement.
Back to the Old World: The revelations
and insights gained from the use of psychoactive
mushrooms were so magically wonderful, that
our native European "fool's mushrooms" - which
were gene ; considered inedible - had to be
recognized as closely related to the magic
mushrooms of Mexico, the flesh of the Aztec
Gods. The souls of magic mushrooms in Mexico
and Germany are essentially made from the same
substance: psilocybin.
Jochen Gartz has made an extraordinary
contribution to the field of mycology by embracing
Germany's magic mushrooms and the scientific
study and testing of these fungi. The research
efforts upon which this book is based require
nothing less than a fearless, brave and courageous
consciousness, free of prejudice and mycophobia. I
am convinced that a researcher's consciousness
infused by the spirit of the magic mushroom is
capable of far deeper scientific insights than we
can ever expect from the usual ivory tower
academics, isolated from
sp description
Gymnopilus
reality Most recreational users of Psilocybe cubensis (when grown in vitro) require a dosage of 1 to 2 gm of dried mushrooms to produce an altered state of consciousness; a clinical dosage for Psilocybe cubensis, on the other hand, had previously been reported as ranging from 3 to 5 gm of dried material. This dosage would be comparable to the amount of fungal material consumed for religious purposes in a Mazatec Indian healing and curing ceremony. In 1982, one research team "found that the level of psilocybin and psilocin varies over a factor of 4 among various in vitro cultures of Psilocybe cubensis, while specimens from outdoors varied tenfold." A fresh dosage of Psilocybe cubensis in Australia would be approximately from 1 to 2 large mushrooms weighing up to as much as one fresh ounce, or as many as from 25 to 50 small mushrooms equaling the same weight amount. Ethnopharmacologist Jonathan Ott (1976, 1993) noted that he has observed "the ingestion of from 0.5 gm to 5.9 gm dried weight (10 gm to 40 gm fresh)", of various species of Psilocybe. Dosage for Psilocybe subcubensis would be the same as for Psilocybe cubensis. Both of these latter two species are macroscopically alike. The usual dosage for Copelandia cyanescens required to induce psychedelic visual effects ranges from 1 to 3 large specimens (cap diameter c. 5 mm), or as many as 5 to l0 medium-sized mushrooms (cap diameter c. 2.5 mm); however, personal tolerance to this species may occur with continued use, and some who consume large amounts of this mushroom have reportedly ingested as many as 50 to 200 fresh specimens of various sizes.
a have been reported from
the following countries: Finland, Norway,
Sweden, Denmark, Germany, Switzerland,
Austria, The Netherlands, Belgium, France,
Russia, Poland, the former Czechoslovakia,
Hungary, Romania, Scotland, England, Wales,
Italy and Spain.
Unfortunately, there are no comprehensive
maps detailing the species's
distribution pattern. Traditionally, mycologists
have often neglected relatively tiny species, such
as Psilocybe semilanceata, that tend to share their
habitats with other, more prominent species.
The
sarcastic phrase "The mushrooms occur in
abundance wherever mycologists abound" is
particularly pertinent in reference to the Psilocybe
species. Prior to the discovery of psilocybin, the
Psilocybe genus languished in the literature,
shrouded in obscurity. To this day, few
189. Psilocybe semilanceata Fr. [Worthless]
The cap is uniformly conic to bell-shaped, with a pointy or obtuse center forming
an almost wart-like protrusion; initially, caps are often taller than they are wide, margins
are bent and curved inward; later on, width of cap is 1.5-4 cm. Hygrophanous; coloration
is a dirtyish olive-brown when wet, with translucent striate margins; at the center,
coloration is ocher or greenish-yellow against an overall shade of smudgy pale yellow and
oftentimes some greenish stains; only the margins are banded by a darkcolored, watery
stripe around the edge. No stripes or banding evident when mushrooms are completely
dried. Lacking a veil, caps are thin-fleshed, bald, with an easily separable pellicle that
remains gelatinous-sticky for a long time, turning shiny when dry.
Gills are olive brown to blackish purple brown in color, with the edges often
remaining white, gill spacing is quite crowded; gill attachment is either roughly linear or
mostly adnexed; up to 3.5 mm wide; attached at the stem only, fully detached later on.
Spores are elongated to ellipitical in shape, smooth and large, measuring 12-16 u
by 6-8,u. Color of spore dust is blackish purple brown.
Stem is very slender, almost uniformly thin and always twisted, 6-12 cm long and
1.
25-2 mm thick, yellowish or whitish in color; areas subjected to pressure develop bluishgreen
stains. Stems are silky smooth and roughly at the center, cortinate fibrils appear like
remnants of a veil, which is brittle and lined with a white fibrous cord of wool-like
texture.
When dry, the flesh of the cap is colored pale yellow, while the stem's flesh is
ocher brown in color, especially towards the bottom. It is odorless and its flavor is mild.
The mushroom grows from August to October, frequently in gregarious clusters, and can
be found in pastures and along roadways, growing on dung that has undergone complete
decomposition.
It is not a particularly rare species.
Figure 11(above) This excellent description of Psilocybe semilanceata by Michael & Schulz
(1927) is shown here as originally published in German, with an English translation.
Mycologists spa have been reported from
the following countries: Finland, Norway,
Sweden, Denmark, Germany, Switzerland,
Austria, The Netherlands, Belgium, France,
Russia, Poland, the former Czechoslovakia,
Hungary, Romania, Scotland, England, Wales,
Italy and Spain.
Unfortunately, there are no comprehensive
maps detailing the species's
distribution pattern. Traditionally, mycologists
have often neglected relatively tiny species, such
as Psilocybe semilanceata, that tend to share their
habitats with other, more prominent species. The
sarcastic phrase "The mushrooms occur in
abundance wherever mycologists abound" is
particularly pertinent in reference to the Psilocybe
species. Prior to the discovery of psilocybin, the
Psilocybe genus languished in the literature,
shrouded in obscurity. To this day, few
189. Psilocybe semilanceata Fr. Worthless]
The cap is uniformly conic to bell-shaped, with a pointy or obtuse center forming
an almost wart-like protrusion; initially, caps are often taller than they are wide, margins
are bent and curved inward; later on, width of cap is 1.5-4 cm. Hygrophanous; coloration
is a dirtyish olive-brown when wet, with translucent striate margins; at the center,
coloration is ocher or greenish-yellow against an overall shade of smudgy pale yellow and
oftentimes some greenish stains; only the margins are banded by a darkcolored, watery
stripe around the edge. No stripes or banding evident when mushrooms are completely
dried. Lacking a veil, caps are thin-fleshed, bald, with an easily separable pellicle that
remains gelatinous-sticky for a long time, turning shiny when dry.
Gills are olive brown to blackish purple brown in color, with the edges often
remaining white, gill spacing is quite crowded; gill attachment is either roughly linear or
mostly adnexed; up to 3.5 mm wide; attached at the stem only, fully detached later on.
Spores are elongated to ellipitical in shape, smooth and large, measuring 12-16 u
by 6-8,u. Color of spore dust is blackish purple brown.
Stem is very slender, almost uniformly thin and always twisted, 6-12 cm long and
1.25-2 mm thick, yellowish or whitish in color; areas subjected to pressure develop bluishgreen
stains. Stems are silky smooth and roughly at the center, cortinate fibrils appear like
remnants of a veil, which is brittle and lined with a white fibrous cord of wool-like
texture.
When dry, the flesh of the cap is colored pale yellow, while the stem's flesh is
ocher brown in color, especially towards the bottom. It is odorless and its flavor is mild.
The mushroom grows from August to October, frequently in gregarious clusters, and can
be found in pastures and along roadways, growing on dung that has undergone complete
decomposition.
It is not a particularly rare species.
Figure 11(above) This excellent description of Psilocybe semilanceata by Michael & Schulz
(1927) is shown here as originally published in German, with an English translation.
Mycologists spa have been reported from
the following countries: Finland, Norway,
Sweden, Denmark, Germany, Switzerland,
Austria, The Netherlands, Belgium, France,
Russia, Poland, the former Czechoslovakia,
Hungary, Romania, Scotland, England, Wales,
Italy and Spain.
Unfortunately, there are no comprehensive
maps detailing the species's
distribution pattern. Traditionally, mycologists
have often neglected relatively tiny species, such
as Psilocybe semilanceata, that tend to share their
habitats with other, more prominent species.
The
sarcastic phrase "The mushrooms occur in
abundance wherever mycologists abound" is
particularly pertinent in reference to the Psilocybe
species. Prior to the discovery of psilocybin, the
Psilocybe genus languished in the literature,
shrouded in obscurity. To this day, few
189. Psilocybe semilanceata Fr. Worthless
The cap is uniformly conic to bell-shaped, with a pointy or obtuse center forming
an almost wart-like protrusion; initially, caps are often taller than they are wide, margins
are bent and curved inward; later on, width of cap is 1.5-4 cm. Hygrophanous; coloration
is a dirtyish olive-brown when wet, with translucent striate margins; at the center,
coloration is ocher or greenish-yellow against an overall shade of smudgy pale yellow and
oftentimes some greenish stains; only the margins are banded by a darkcolored, watery
stripe around the edge. No stripes or banding evident when mushrooms are completely
dried. Lacking a veil, caps are thin-fleshed, bald, with an easily separable pellicle that
remains gelatinous-sticky for a long time, turning shiny when dry.
Gills are olive brown to blackish purple brown in color, with the edges often
remaining white, gill spacing is quite crowded; gill attachment is either roughly linear or
mostly adnexed; up to 3.5 mm wide; attached at the stem only, fully detached later on.
Spores are elongated to ellipitical in shape, smooth and large, measuring 12-16 u
by 6-8,u. Color of spore dust is blackish purple brown.
Stem is very slender, almost uniformly thin and always twisted, 6-12 cm long and
1.25-2 mm thick, yellowish or whitish in color; areas subjected to pressure develop bluishgreen
stains. Stems are silky smooth and roughly at the center, cortinate fibrils appear like
remnants of a veil, which is brittle and lined with a white fibrous cord of wool-like
texture.
When dry, the flesh of the cap is colored pale yellow, while the stem's flesh is
ocher brown in color, especially towards the bottom. It is odorless and its flavor is mild.
The mushroom grows from August to October, frequently in gregarious clusters, and can
be found in pastures and along roadways, growing on dung that has undergone complete
decomposition. It is not a particularly rare species.
Figure 11(above) This excellent description of Psilocybe semilanceata by Michael & Schulz
(1927) is shown here as originally published in German, with an English translation.
Mycologists spa have been reported from
the following countries: Finland, Norway,
Sweden, Denmark, Germany, Switzerland,
Austria, The Netherlands, Belgium, France,
Russia, Poland, the former Czechoslovakia,
Hungary, Romania, Scotland, England, Wales,
Italy and Spain.
Unfortunately, there are no comprehensive
maps detailing the species's
distribution pattern. Traditionally, mycologists
have often neglected relatively tiny species, such
as Psilocybe semilanceata, that tend to share their
habitats with other, more prominent species.
The
sarcastic phrase "The mushrooms occur in
abundance wherever mycologists abound" is
particularly pertinent in reference to the Psilocybe
species. Prior to the discovery of psilocybin, the
Psilocybe genus languished in the literature,
shrouded in obscurity. To this day, few
189. Psilocybe semilanceata Fr. Worthless
The cap is uniformly conic to bell-shaped, with a pointy or obtuse center forming
an almost wart-like protrusion; initially, caps are often taller than they are wide, margins
are bent and curved inward; later on, width of cap is 1.5-4 cm. Hygrophanous; coloration
is a dirtyish olive-brown when wet, with translucent striate margins; at the center,
coloration is ocher or greenish-yellow against an overall shade of smudgy pale yellow and
oftentimes some greenish stains; only the margins are banded by a darkcolored, watery
stripe around the edge. No stripes or banding evident when mushrooms are completely
dried.
Lacking a veil, caps are thin-fleshed, bald, with an easily separable pellicle that
remains gelatinous-sticky for a long time, turning shiny when dry.
Gills are olive brown to blackish purple brown in color, with
Ask the edges often
remaining white, gill spacing is quite crowded; gill attachment is either roughly linear or
mostly adnexed; up to 3.5 mm wide; attached at the stem only, fully detached later on.
Spores are elongated to ellipitical in shape, smooth and large, measuring 12-16 u
by 6-8,u. Color of spore dust is blackish purple brown.
Stem is very slender, almost uniformly thin and always twisted, 6-12 cm long and
1.25-2 mm thick, yellowish or whitish in color; areas subjected to pressure develop bluishgreen
stains. Stems are silky smooth and roughly No Effect From Goldtop Mushrooms at the center, cortinate fibrils appear like
remnants of a veil, which is brittle and lined with a white fibrous cord of wool-like
texture.
When dry, the flesh of the cap is colored pale yellow, while the stem's flesh is
ocher brown in color, especially towards the bottom. It is odorless and its flavor is mild.
The mushroom grows from August to October, frequently in gregarious clusters, and can
be found in pastures and along roadways, growing on dung that has undergone complete
decomposition. It is not a particularly rare species.
Figure 11(above) This excellent description of Psilocybe semilanceata by Michael & Schulz
(1927) is shown here as originally published in German, with an English translation.
Mycologists sp
TAJGARDOUN TAJGARDOUN
As they say, ʼTis the season to be pickingʼ, but make
The Mazatec Indians, who have a long tradition of using the mushrooms, inhabit a range of mountains Psilocybecubensisnutrientrequirements called the Sierra Mazateca in the northeastern corner of the Mexican state of Oaxaca. The shamans in this essay are all natives of the town of Huautla where do
Gymnopilus grow they
Gymnopilus de Jimenez. Properly Gymnopilusspsporeprint speaking they are Huautecans; but since the language they speak has been called Mazatec and they have been referred to in the previous anthropological literature as Mazatecs, I have retained that name, though strictly speaking, Mazatecs are the inhabitants of the village of Mazatlan in the same mountains.
ecialize in the study of Psilocybes,
despite the fact that Psilocybe semilanceata is the
most common and conspicuous species among the
Psilocybes. Also, mushroom lovers whose
interests are not purely scientific (see Chapter 7.
4)
do not usually preserve their knowledge for
posterity in the form of distribution maps.
However,
Gymnopilus Sp. Identification there is one map from 1986, which
shows the distribution pattern of Psilocybe
semilanceata across Germany (see Figure 20, p.
28).
Almost no published information is available
about locations where Psilocybe species have
been found in eastern Germany. During my own
field trips, I have discovered Psilocybe
semilanceata specimens in various locations, such
as near my hometown of Mansfeld in the Vorharz
Mountains, in the marshlands of Duben as well as
in other eastern German marshland areas. In
addition, friends who are also mycologists have
told me about finding the mushrooms in other
parts of the country.
A book published
Gymnopilus Sp. Identification
in 1952 is
among the rare sources that includes details about
specimens discovered in the southeastern state of
Saxony (see Figure 16, p. 23).
The Psilocybe species grow most
abundantly on
Growingpazurescensfaster wet pastures surrounded by forest
areas.
In my experience, Psilocybe semilanceata
grows in most of Germany's forestlands. The
species fruits during the fall, from late September
through October.
It favors acidic soil and grassy
terrain alongside trails or around the edges of
forest lands. Specimens are generally clustered in
small groups of 30 mushrooms or less. Deer
droppings or other animal feces are usually
present at those locations, even though the
mushrooms never grow directly on top of dung.
Occasionally, extremely stunted specimens may
be found in the mountains by the side of the road.
The soil below older cow pastures provides
an excellent medium for extensive mycelial
growth.
In some locations, large areas yield an
abundance of fruiting bodies, mirroring the extent
of mycelial saturation in the soil. Given adequate
moisture, maximum yields can be expected, if the
pasture was grazed at least once during the weeks
before fruiting season. However, the mushrooms
also thrive under similar conditions on horse and
sheep pastures.
Such grassy areas inside forests
are usually grazing areas for deer, who provide
the soil with additional fertilization. However,
Psilocybe semilanceata does not grow in locations
where artificial fertilizer has been used. Such
pastures are often flanked by creeks or swamp
lands, which saturate the soil with water. During the
summertime, the warm climate in these wet areas
provides an excellent environment for optimal
mycelial growth. In Germany, the mushroom's
habitat ranges from the coastal areas to
mountainous regions, where the species has been
found at altitudes of up to 1,720 m (5,160 ft) above
sea level (MTB-8443, 1985).
In the former
Czechoslovakia, samples have been collected at
altitudes ranging from 330 to 1,000 m (1,000 -
a have been reported from
the following countries: Finland, Norway,
Sweden, Denmark, Germany, Switzerland,
Austria, The Netherlands, Belgium, France,
Russia, Poland, the former Czechoslovakia,
Hungary, Romania, Scotland, England, Wales,
Italy and Spain.
Unfortunately, there are no comprehensive
maps detailing the species's
distribution pattern. Traditionally, mycologists
have often neglected relatively tiny species, such
as Psilocybe semilanceata, that tend to share their
habitats with other, more prominent species. The
sarcastic phrase "The mushrooms occur in
abundance wherever mycologists abound" is
particularly pertinent in reference to the Psilocybe
species. Prior to the discovery of psilocybin, the
Psilocybe genus languished in the literature,
shrouded in obscurity. To this day, few
189. Psilocybe semilanceata Fr. Worthless]
The cap is uniformly conic to bell-shaped, with a pointy or obtuse center forming
an almost wart-like protrusion; initially, caps are often taller than they are wide, margins
are bent and curved inward; later on, width of cap is 1.5-4 cm. Hygrophanous; coloration
is a dirtyish olive-brown when wet, with translucent striate margins; at the center,
coloration is ocher or greenish-yellow against an overall shade of smudgy pale yellow and
oftentimes some greenish stains; only the margins are banded by a darkcolored, watery
stripe around the edge. No stripes or banding evident when mushrooms are completely
dried. Lacking a veil, caps are thin-fleshed, bald, with an easily separable pellicle that
remains gelatinous-sticky for a long time, turning shiny when dry.
Gills are olive brown to blackish purple brown in color, with the edges often
remaining white, gill spacing is quite crowded; gill attachment is either roughly linear or
mostly adnexed; up to 3.5 mm wide; attached at the stem only, fully detached later on.
Spores are elongated to ellipitical in shape, smooth and large, measuring 12-16 u
by 6-8,u. Color of spore dust is blackish purple brown.
Stem is very slender, almost uniformly thin and always twisted, 6-12 cm long and
1.25-2 mm thick, yellowish or whitish in color; areas subjected to pressure develop bluishgreen
stains. Stems are silky smooth and roughly at the center, cortinate fibrils appear like
remnants of a veil, which is brittle and lined with a white fibrous cord of wool-like
texture.
When dry, the flesh of the cap is colored pale yellow, while the stem's flesh is
ocher brown in color, especially towards the bottom. It is odorless and its flavor is mild.
The mushroom grows from August to October, frequently in gregarious clusters, and can
be found in pastures and along roadways, growing on dung that has undergone complete
decomposition. It is not a particularly rare species.
Figure 11(above) This excellent description of Psilocybe semilanceata by Michael & Schulz
(1927) is shown here as originally published in German, with an English translation.
Mycologists sp own
cause of death and disease, bloated stomachs and
insanity. Beliefs such as these have survived to
the present day. They persist, for example,,, as
figures of speech, s u c h as the slick Austrian
description of a societal misfit as someone "who
ate those madness-inducing mushrooms."
But, there is another, very different,
magic mushroom legacy as well.
Flesh of the Gods for Devil Worshippers
The Old World. Mycenaean civilization
began with a mushroom trip -Mushrooms were
an ingredient in the ambrosia of Dionysus.
Porphyrius, the fourth century Latin poet and
contemporary of Emperor Konstantin, knew
that magic mushrooms were the children of the
gods.
WHO WAS THE FIRST MAGICIAN?
A quasi-cannibalistic ritual, the act of eating the
children of the gods unlocked one's power to
experience the truly divine. But not all
mushrooms enable human beings to enter the
realm of divine consciousness. This magic power
resides in only those fungi known as "fool's
mushrooms", which were considered poisonous
and believed to be the spawn of the Devil
throughout the late Middle Ages and well into
modern times.
The New World: The Aztecs in Mexico
referred to a number of small, inconspicuous
mushrooms as teonartacatl, or "flesh of the
Gods." These sacred mushrooms were eaten
during the course of rituals intended to contact
the Gods in order to learn about the world and the
realm of the divine. These magic mushroom
rituals thoroughly spooked the Catholic
Spaniards. The mushroom eaters, commonly
thought of as Devil worshippers, were hounded
by the Inquisition. Still, all good things survive
the tests of time, so the cult of magic mushroom
eaters did not become extinct. Like mycelia
underground, the cult continued to flourish, and
at the proper time in recorded history, in 1957,
the fruit of the fully grown mushroom re-surfaced
to draw widespread public attention. Valentine
and Gordon Wasson became the heroes of the
modern neo-mycophilic movement.
Back to the Old World: The revelations
and insights gained from the use of psychoactive
mushrooms were so magically wonderful, that
our native European "fool's mushrooms" - which
were gene ; considered inedible - had to be
recognized as closely related to the magic
mushrooms of Mexico, the flesh of the Aztec
Gods. The souls of magic mushrooms in Mexico
and Germany are essentially made from the same
substance: psilocybin.
Jochen Gartz has made an extraordinary
contribution to the field of mycology by embracing
Germany's magic mushrooms and the scientific
study and testing of these fungi. The research
efforts upon which this book is based require
nothing less than a fearless, brave and courageous
consciousness, free of prejudice and mycophobia. I
am convinced that a researcher's consciousness
infused by the spirit of the magic mushroom is
capable of far deeper scientific insights than we
can ever expect from the usual ivory tower
academics, isolated from reality
CATTLE AS A POSSIBLE DISPERSAL MECHANISM FOR PSYCHOACTIVE DUNG FUNGI
One may ask the question, "how did these mushrooms arrive in Australia and New Zealand?" Well some species may be endemic,that is, they were already there naturally. Other species such as the above described dung-inhabiting mushrooms most likelyappeared after the introduction of cattle on the subcontinent.The first livestock to arrive in Australia were brought from the Cape of Good Hope in1788, and included 2 bulls and 5 cows, along with other domesticated farm animals. Byl803, the government owned approximately 1800 cattle, most of which were importedfrom the Cape, Calcutta, and the west coast of America. It was during this period thatsome of the visionary mushrooms mentioned in this field guide probably first appeared inAustralia (Unsigned, 1973).
According to Australian mycologist John Burton Cleland(1934), "fungi growing in cow or horse-dung and confined to such habitats, must in thecase of Australia, all belong to introduced species". It is believed to have been the SouthAfrican dung beetle which may have actually spread the spores. According to Englishmycologist Roy Watling of the Royal Botanic Gardens in Glasgow, Scotland, "it must beremembered that fungi can change substrate preferences and there are coprophilousfungi on kangaroo droppings etc." Some mycologists who have studied the "magicmushrooms" in Australia and NZ claim that the "use of P. cubensis as a recreational drugtends to confirm the belief that some] farmers in early times may have] added one or two basidiomes gilled mushrooms] to a mealto liven it up and still do] Margot & Watling, 1981)."
CATTLE AS A POSSIBLE DISPERSAL MECHANISM FOR PSYCHOACTIVE DUNG FUNGI
One may ask the question, "how did these mushrooms arrive in Australia and New Zealand?" Well some species may be endemic,that is, they were already there naturally. Other species such as the above described dung-inhabiting mushrooms most likelyappeared after the introduction of cattle on the subcontinent.The first livestock to arrive in Australia were brought from the Cape of Good Hope in1788, and included 2 bulls and 5 cows, along with other domesticated farm animals. Byl803, the government owned approximately 1800 cattle, most of which were importedfrom the Cape, Calcutta, and the west coast of America. It was during this period thatsome of the visionary mushrooms mentioned in this field guide probably first appeared inAustralia (Unsigned, 1973). According to Australian mycologist John Burton Cleland(1934), "fungi growing in cow or horse-dung and confined to such habitats, must in thecase of Australia, all belong to introduced species". It is believed to have been the SouthAfrican dung beetle which may have actually spread the spores. According to Englishmycologist Roy Watling of the Royal Botanic Gardens in Glasgow, Scotland, "it must beremembered that fungi can change substrate preferences and there are coprophilousfungi on kangaroo droppings etc." Some mycologists who have studied the "magicmushrooms" in Australia and NZ claim that the "use of P. cubensis as a recreational drugtends to confirm the belief that some] farmers in early times may have] added one or two basidiomes gilled mushrooms] to a mealto liven it up and still do] Margot & Watling, 1981)."
CATTLE AS A POSSIBLE DISPERSAL MECHANISM FOR PSYCHOACTIVE DUNG FUNGI
One may ask the question, "how did these mushrooms arrive in Australia and New Zealand?" Well some species may be endemic,that is, they were already there naturally. Other species such as the above described dung-inhabiting mushrooms most likelyappeared after the introduction of cattle on the subcontinent.The first livestock to arrive in Australia were brought from the Cape of Good Hope in1788, and included 2 bulls and 5 cows, along with other domesticated farm animals. Byl803, the government owned approximately 1800 cattle, most of which were importedfrom the Cape, Calcutta, and the west coast of America. It was during this period thatsome of the visionary mushrooms mentioned in this field guide probably first appeared inAustralia (Unsigned, 1973). According to Australian mycologist John Burton Cleland(1934), "fungi growing in cow or horse-dung and confined to such habitats, must in thecase of Australia, all belong to introduced species". It is believed to have been the SouthAfrican dung beetle which may have actually spread the spores. According to Englishmycologist Roy Watling of the Royal Botanic Gardens in Glasgow, Scotland, "it must beremembered that fungi can change substrate preferences and there are coprophilousfungi on kangaroo droppings etc." Some mycologists who have studied the "magicmushrooms" in Australia and NZ claim that the "use of P. cubensis as a recreational drugtends to confirm the belief that some farmers in early times may have added one or two basidiomes [gilled mushrooms to a mealto liven it up and still do Margot & Watling, 1981)."
CATTLE AS A POSSIBLE DISPERSAL MECHANISM FOR PSYCHOACTIVE DUNG FUNGI
One may ask the question, "how did these mushrooms arrive in Australia and New Zealand?" Well some
Gymnopilus Sp Spore Print species may be endemic,that is, they were already there naturally. Other species such as the above described dung-inhabiting mushrooms most likelyappeared after the introduction of cattle on the subcontinent.
The first livestock to arrive in Australia were brought from the Cape of Good Hope in1788, and included 2 bulls and 5 cows, along with other domesticated farm animals.
Byl803, the government owned approximately 1800 cattle, most of which were importedfrom the Cape, Calcutta, and the west coast of America. It was during this period thatsome of the visionary mushrooms mentioned in this field
Psilocybe Mushroom Kit Germany guide probably first appeared inAustralia (Unsigned, 1973).
According to Australian mycologist John Burton Cleland(1934), "fungi growing in cow or horse-dung and confined to such habitats, must in thecase of Australia, all belong to introduced species". It is believed to have been the SouthAfrican dung beetle which may have actually spread the spores. According to Englishmycologist Roy Watling of the Royal Botanic Gardens in Glasgow, Scotland, "it must beremembered that fungi can change substrate preferences and there are coprophilousfungi on kangaroo droppings etc." Some mycologists who have studied the "magicmushrooms" in Australia and NZ claim that the "use of P. cubensis as a recreational drugtends to confirm the belief that some farmers in early times may have added one or two basidiomes gilled mushrooms to a mealto liven it up and still do Margot & Watling, 1981)."
Halucinogen Mushrooms @ 8/1/2010 2:14:01 AM