Panaeolina castaneifolia
Encyclopedia
Panaeolina castaneifolia is a rare and widely distributed little brown mushroom which may contain the hallucinogen psilocybin
.
It has dark brown, coarsely roughened spores which resemble those of Panaeolina foenisecii
.
, and has similar microscopic features but can be distinguished by its thicker stem and more unpleasant taste. It also resembles Panaeolus subbalteatus
and can be distinguished from that species by its roughened brown spores.
Psilocybin
Psilocybin is a naturally occurring psychedelic prodrug, with mind-altering effects similar to those of LSD and mescaline, after it is converted to psilocin. The effects can include altered thinking processes, perceptual distortions, an altered sense of time, and spiritual experiences, as well as...
.
It has dark brown, coarsely roughened spores which resemble those of Panaeolina foenisecii
Panaeolina foenisecii
Panaeolina foenisecii, commonly called the mower's mushroom, haymaker or brown hay mushroom, is a very common and widely distributed little brown mushroom often found on lawns. It fruits in warm weather and contains the hallucinogen psilocybin...
.
Description
- Cap: 2 — 4 cm, often with small wrinkles, hygrophanous, dark brown when moist drying to ochre buff. Often with a darker zone around the margin as it dries.
- Gills: Broad, not crowded, adnexed, dark brown.
- Stipe: 4 — 6 cm x 4 — 6 mm, pruinose, cartilaginous, the same color as the cap or pale ochre.
- Spores: Dark purplish brown, rough. 12 — 16 x 7 — 9 micrometers, almond shaped, verrucose, with small germ pore.
- Odor: Rather strong.
- Taste: Unpleasant.
- Microscopic features: Basidia four spored, pleurocystidia look like basidia and are dark brown, cheilocystidia abundant, fusoid-ventricose or subcylindric.
Habitat and formation
Panaeolina castaneifolia grows in along roadsides and grassy fields. This species was first found in New York City and is probably more widely distributed. This mushroom is often mistaken for Panaeolina foeniseciiPanaeolina foenisecii
Panaeolina foenisecii, commonly called the mower's mushroom, haymaker or brown hay mushroom, is a very common and widely distributed little brown mushroom often found on lawns. It fruits in warm weather and contains the hallucinogen psilocybin...
, and has similar microscopic features but can be distinguished by its thicker stem and more unpleasant taste. It also resembles Panaeolus subbalteatus
Panaeolus subbalteatus
Panaeolus cinctulus, commonly known as the banded mottlegill, is a very common, widely-distributed psilocybin mushroom. According to David Arora, Panaeolus cinctulus is the most common psilocybin mushroom in California....
and can be distinguished from that species by its roughened brown spores.