Psilocybe washingtonensis
Encyclopedia
Psilocybe washingtonensis is a species of mushroom
in the Strophariaceae
family. It is similar in appearance to Psilocybe pelliculosa
and P. silvatica
, and a microscope is needed to reliably distinguish between them.
in 1946. He collected the type specimen in Olympic National Park
in Washington in 1941, at an elevation of 2500 feet (762 m). Mycologist Gastón Guzmán
classified it in the section Singeria of Psilocybe.
is obtusely conic to convex, and does not expand to become flattened with age; it reaches 1 – in diameter. Its margin is bent in slightly at first but soon straightens. The cap surface is smooth except for a faint fringe at the margin from a rudimentary veil
, sticky, hygrophanous
but opaque when moist, deep brown in the center and somewhat darker brown near the margin. As the mushroom matures, it fades slowly in the center to a dull cinnamon color. The pellicle
rips into shreds when peeled. The pliant flesh
is thin, 2 mm in the center of the cap and tapered evenly to the margin. The cap surface is covered with grayish fibrils; underneath the fibrils the color is initially the same as the cap, but becomes blackish-brown in age at the base or over lower parts. The gills are slightly darker than the cap in color, broadly adnate
, but develop a slight decurrent tooth in age (when the gill separates slightly from the stem). The gills are broad (about 3 mm), with a close to subdistant spacing. Roughly 24 gills reach the cap edge from the stem; there are additionally 2 or three tiers of lamellulae—short gills that do not extend completely from the stem to the cap edge. The stem
is 3 to 5 cm (1.2 to 2 in) long by 1.5–2.5 mm thick, and equal in width throughout its length. It is attached to its substrate (wood or sticks) by a grayish mat of mycelium
. It is not known if the mushroom contains psychoactive compounds like psilocybin
or psilocin
.
The spore print
is purple-brown. The spores are ellipsoid to slightly egg-shaped, smooth, and measure 6.3–7.5 by 3.8–4.5 μm
. The spores have an apical pore, but it is small and inconspicuous. The basisdia (spore-bearing cells) are four-spored, narrowly club-shaped to somewhat cyclindrical, and measure 18–24 by 5–6 μm. P. washingtonensis has scattered to abundant pleurocystidia (cystidia on the gill face) that typically measure 38–56 by 9–12 μm. There are two forms of cheilocystidia (cystidia in the gill edge): one is fusoid-ventricose (distinctly enlarged in the middle and tapered toward both ends) with blunt to somewhat sharp apices, often covered with mucilage, and measures 26–38 by 7–11 μm; the other is broadly club-shaped to capitate (with a distinct spherical tip), and measures 26 by 10–12 μm.
by the presence of pleurocystidia.
, near Welches
.
Mushroom
A mushroom is the fleshy, spore-bearing fruiting body of a fungus, typically produced above ground on soil or on its food source. The standard for the name "mushroom" is the cultivated white button mushroom, Agaricus bisporus; hence the word "mushroom" is most often applied to those fungi that...
in the Strophariaceae
Strophariaceae
The Strophariaceae are a family of fungi in the order Agaricales. The family contains 18 genera and 1316 species. The species of Strophariaceae have a red-brown to dark brown spore print, while the spores themselves are smooth and have an apical germ pore. These agarics are also characterized by...
family. It is similar in appearance to Psilocybe pelliculosa
Psilocybe pelliculosa
Psilocybe pelliculosa is a species of fungus in the Strophariaceae family. The fruit bodies, or mushrooms, have a conical brownish cap up to in diameter atop a slender stem up to long. It has a white partial veil that does not leave a ring on the stem. American mycologist Alexander H...
and P. silvatica
Psilocybe silvatica
Psilocybe silvatica, is a psilocybin mushroom of the Agaricales family, in the section Semilanceatae, having psilocybin as main active compound. It is closely related to Psilocybe pelliculosa.- Description :...
, and a microscope is needed to reliably distinguish between them.
Taxonomy
The species was first described scientifically by American mycologist Alexander H. SmithAlexander H. Smith
Alexander Hanchett Smith was an American mycologist known for his extensive contributions to the taxonomy and phylogeny of the higher fungi, especially the agarics.-Early life:...
in 1946. He collected the type specimen in Olympic National Park
Olympic National Park
Olympic National Park is located in the U.S. state of Washington, in the Olympic Peninsula. The park can be divided into four basic regions: the Pacific coastline, alpine areas, the west side temperate rainforest and the forests of the drier east side. U.S...
in Washington in 1941, at an elevation of 2500 feet (762 m). Mycologist Gastón Guzmán
Gastón Guzmán
Gastón Guzmán is a Mexican mycologist and anthropologist. He is considered the world's foremost authority on the genus Psilocybe.He was born in Xalapa, Veracruz, in 1932....
classified it in the section Singeria of Psilocybe.
Description
The capPileus (mycology)
The pileus is the technical name for the cap, or cap-like part, of a basidiocarp or ascocarp that supports a spore-bearing surface, the hymenium. The hymenium may consist of lamellae, tubes, or teeth, on the underside of the pileus...
is obtusely conic to convex, and does not expand to become flattened with age; it reaches 1 – in diameter. Its margin is bent in slightly at first but soon straightens. The cap surface is smooth except for a faint fringe at the margin from a rudimentary veil
Partial veil
thumb|150px|right|Developmental stages of [[Agaricus campestris]] showing the role and evolution of a partial veilPartial veil is a mycological term used to describe a temporary structure of tissue found on the fruiting bodies of some basidiomycete fungi, typically agarics...
, sticky, hygrophanous
Hygrophanous
The adjective hygrophanous refers to the color change of mushroom tissue as it loses or absorbs water, which causes the pileipellis to become more transparent when wet and opaque when dry....
but opaque when moist, deep brown in the center and somewhat darker brown near the margin. As the mushroom matures, it fades slowly in the center to a dull cinnamon color. The pellicle
Pileipellis
thumb|300px||right|The cuticle of some mushrooms, such as [[Russula mustelina]] shown here, can be peeled from the cap, and may be useful as an identification feature....
rips into shreds when peeled. The pliant flesh
Trama (mycology)
In mycology trama is a term for the inner, fleshy portion of a mushroom's basidiocarp, or fruit body. It is distinct from the outer layer of tissue, known as the pileipellis or cuticle, and from the spore-bearing tissue layer known as the hymenium....
is thin, 2 mm in the center of the cap and tapered evenly to the margin. The cap surface is covered with grayish fibrils; underneath the fibrils the color is initially the same as the cap, but becomes blackish-brown in age at the base or over lower parts. The gills are slightly darker than the cap in color, broadly adnate
Adnation
Adnation in plants is the "union of unlike parts; organically united or fused with another dissimilar part, e.g. an ovary to a calyx tube, or stamens to petals". This is in contrast to connation, the fusion of similar organs....
, but develop a slight decurrent tooth in age (when the gill separates slightly from the stem). The gills are broad (about 3 mm), with a close to subdistant spacing. Roughly 24 gills reach the cap edge from the stem; there are additionally 2 or three tiers of lamellulae—short gills that do not extend completely from the stem to the cap edge. The stem
Stipe (mycology)
thumb|150px|right|Diagram of a [[basidiomycete]] stipe with an [[annulus |annulus]] and [[volva |volva]]In mycology a stipe refers to the stem or stalk-like feature supporting the cap of a mushroom. Like all tissues of the mushroom other than the hymenium, the stipe is composed of sterile hyphal...
is 3 to 5 cm (1.2 to 2 in) long by 1.5–2.5 mm thick, and equal in width throughout its length. It is attached to its substrate (wood or sticks) by a grayish mat of mycelium
Mycelium
thumb|right|Fungal myceliaMycelium is the vegetative part of a fungus, consisting of a mass of branching, thread-like hyphae. The mass of hyphae is sometimes called shiro, especially within the fairy ring fungi. Fungal colonies composed of mycelia are found in soil and on or within many other...
. It is not known if the mushroom contains psychoactive compounds like psilocybin
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...
or psilocin
Psilocin
Psilocin , an aromatic compound, sometimes also spelled psilocine, psilocyn, or psilotsin, is a psychedelic mushroom alkaloid. It is found in most psychedelic mushrooms together with its phosphorylated counterpart psilocybin...
.
The spore print
Spore print
thumb|300px|right|Making a spore print of the mushroom Volvariella volvacea shown in composite: mushroom cap laid on white and dark paper; cap removed after 24 hours showing pinkish-tan spore print...
is purple-brown. The spores are ellipsoid to slightly egg-shaped, smooth, and measure 6.3–7.5 by 3.8–4.5 μm
Micrometre
A micrometer , is by definition 1×10-6 of a meter .In plain English, it means one-millionth of a meter . Its unit symbol in the International System of Units is μm...
. The spores have an apical pore, but it is small and inconspicuous. The basisdia (spore-bearing cells) are four-spored, narrowly club-shaped to somewhat cyclindrical, and measure 18–24 by 5–6 μm. P. washingtonensis has scattered to abundant pleurocystidia (cystidia on the gill face) that typically measure 38–56 by 9–12 μm. There are two forms of cheilocystidia (cystidia in the gill edge): one is fusoid-ventricose (distinctly enlarged in the middle and tapered toward both ends) with blunt to somewhat sharp apices, often covered with mucilage, and measures 26–38 by 7–11 μm; the other is broadly club-shaped to capitate (with a distinct spherical tip), and measures 26 by 10–12 μm.
Similar species
Other than differences in spore color, P. washingtonensis is similar in appearance to Kuehneromyces vernalis. Stamets has noted a resemblance to Hypholoma udum and H. dispersum. P. washingtonensis may be distinguished from P. pelliculosaPsilocybe pelliculosa
Psilocybe pelliculosa is a species of fungus in the Strophariaceae family. The fruit bodies, or mushrooms, have a conical brownish cap up to in diameter atop a slender stem up to long. It has a white partial veil that does not leave a ring on the stem. American mycologist Alexander H...
by the presence of pleurocystidia.
Habitat and distribution
Psilocybe washingtonensis grows scattered or in groups on decaying conifer wood in forests. The species is only known from Washington state and from northern OregonOregon
Oregon is a state in the Pacific Northwest region of the United States. It is located on the Pacific coast, with Washington to the north, California to the south, Nevada on the southeast and Idaho to the east. The Columbia and Snake rivers delineate much of Oregon's northern and eastern...
, near Welches
Welches, Oregon
Welches is an unincorporated community in Clackamas County, Oregon, United States. It is located within the Mount Hood Corridor between Zigzag and Wemme along U.S. Route 26. It is one of the communities that make up the Villages at Mount Hood....
.