Phylum: Basidiomycota – Class: Agaricomycetes – Order: Agaricales – Family: Strophariaceae
Distribution – Etymology – Taxonomic History – Psychoactivity – Identification – Reference Sources
What’s more, Psilocybe semilanceata, commonly known in the UK as the Magic Mushroom, and in the USA as Liberty Cap, appears in grassland in autumn. As a result again it is most commonly found on pasture and parkland that has not been enriched with artificial fertiliser. Buy Best Psilocybe Semilanceata Online.
Distribution
Fairly frequent in Britain and Ireland. In the same way where it is rather localised, Psilocybe semilanceata occurs throughout Europe and is found also in North America.
Etymology
Secondly, Psilocybe, the genus name, means ‘smooth head’ – a reference to the silkily mooth, scaleless surface of caps of these grassland mushrooms. Likewise 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. Buy Best Psilocybe Semilanceata Online
As well as the common name Magic Mushroom is, of course, a reference to the hallucinogenic nature of this grassland species
Psychoactive alkaloid content
In addition, this species contains the compound psilocybin. Next 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). Buy Best Psilocybe Semilanceata Online
Beside, it is our understanding that it is illegal to possess or to sell psilocybin in the UK. Further as of July 2005, fresh psilocybin mushrooms are now also controlled. Therefore they are treated in UK Law in the same way as dried magic mushrooms. In fact because whether fresh or dried they have the same Class A drug status as Heroin, LSD and Cocaine.
Taxonomic history
Moreover, this species was first described in 1838 by the great Swedish mycologist Elias Magnus Fries, who named it Agaricus semilanceatus. (Most of the gilled mushrooms were included initially in the genus Agaricus!) In 1871 German mycologist Paul Kummer transferred this species to the genus Psilocybe, renaming it Psilocybe semilanceata. For example the etymology of this name is based on physical features: the generic name Psilocybe means ‘smooth head’, while semilanceata means ‘half spear-shaped’.
Identification guide
| CapFirstly, ranging from 0.5 to 2cm in diameter, the cream-coloured caps have striations that become more pronounced with age and in dry weather. For instance the caps usually have a distinct pimple on the top. | |
Gills
The olive-grey free gills turn purple-black as the spores mature.
Above: cheilocystidia (cystidia standing out from the gill edges) of Psilocybe semilanceata.
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Stem
2 to 3mm in diameter and 4 to 10cm tall, the slender cream stem of Psilocybe semilanceata is fibrous, usually wavy and sometimes coloured blue towards the base.
Spores
Ellipsoidal, smooth, 11.5-14.5 x 7-9μm.
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Spore print
Very dark purple-brown.
Odour/taste
Musty odour. Then do not taste Psilocybe semilanceata because it is hallucinogenic, and some people have required hospital treatment after eating this species.
Habitat & Ecological role
This poisonous saprobic grassland mushroom is most often found on upland pastures, notably on hill slopes. Although sometimes seen on lawns and in lowland meadows it does not grow on dung.
Season
These so-called Magic Mushrooms can be found in Britain and Ireland throughout summer and autumn.
Similar species
Panaeolus semiovatus, the Dung Roundhead, is usually larger and does not have a pointed cap.
Panaeolina foenisecii, the Brown Mottlegill or Mower’s Mushroom, is very similar in colour but is usually larger and does not have a pointed cap.
Reference Sources
, Pat O’Reilly 2016.
Dictionary of the Fungi; Paul M. Kirk, Paul F. Cannon, David W. Minter and J. A. Stalpers; CABI, 2008
Therefore taxonomic history and synonym information on these pages is drawn from many sources but in particular from the British Mycological Society’s GB Checklist of Fungi.
Acknowledgements
This page includes puictures kindly contributed by David Kelly.