Psilocybe stuntzii
Mushroom Identification
Meet Psilocybe stuntzii (Stuntz's blue-legs, blue-ringers, Stuntz's psilocybe), a unique edible psilocybin mushroom named in honor of mycologist Daniel Stuntz 🌲. Known for its subtle psychoactive effects, this mushroom brings a splash of color to the Pacific Northwest’s rich, woody landscapes.
🧢 Cap: The cap is 0.39 to 1.57 inches (1 to 4 cm) wide is conical when young, expanding to a broad, flat shape as it matures. Its color transitions from a deep chestnut or olive-brown to a light yellowish hue with age, often sporting a greenish tinge 🍂. When moist, the cap becomes sticky and translucent-striate – a characteristic of its gelatinous pellicle.
🍃 Gills & Spore Print: Psilocybe stuntzii’s gills are close, starting pale and becoming a rich violet-brown. The spore print is a striking dark purplish-brown, giving it a distinctive finish 🎨.
🦵 Stem: The stem is slender 0.79 to 3.15 inches (2 to 8 cm) long, white to ochraceous, and often curved or twisted. A thin, delicate veil leaves a fragile ring on the stem, sometimes darkened by falling spores. It has a mild blue-green staining reaction when bruised, especially around the ring – a faint nod to its psychedelic properties 🌌.
👃 Aroma & Taste: Both the taste and smell are farinaceous (like fresh flour), especially when the mushroom is young.
🔬 Microscopic Features: Under the microscope, the spores (8.2–13.5 x 6–7.7 µm) reveal a subrhomboid shape with thick walls and a noticeable germ pore. The basidia are four-spored, and the cheilocystidia form a sterile band along the gills 🌱.
🌎 Habitat & Distribution: Thriving in the Pacific Northwest, Psilocybe stuntzii is commonly found in urban gardens, parks, and freshly mulched lawns from late summer through winter. It loves conifer wood chips and newly laid sod but occasionally makes appearances in well-maintained lawns 🌲🏡.
⚠️ Edibility & Safety Warning: Psilocybe stuntzii is mildly psychoactive, but caution is essential! This mushroom closely resembles Galerina marginata, a highly toxic species. Accurate identification is a must to avoid serious risk 🚫☠️.
Photo sources:
Photo 1 - Author: Alan Rockefeller (CC BY-NC 4.0)
Photo 2 - Author: Alan Rockefeller (CC BY-NC 4.0)
Photo 3 - Author: Alan Rockefeller (CC BY-NC 4.0)
Photo 4 - Author: Alan Rockefeller (CC BY-NC 4.0)
