Pluteus americanus
Description
Meet Pluteus americanus, a rare gem among North American fungi! Known for its striking bluing reaction, this psychedelic mushroom belongs to a small group within the Pluteus genus that exhibits this unique characteristic—particularly on its stem and gills when fresh. Originally mistaken for Pluteus salicinus, research by Justo et al. (2014) revealed that P. salicinus is strictly European, making Pluteus americanus a North American (and Russian Far East) treasure.
🌳 Habitat and Distribution: This solitary or gregarious mushroom is primarily found on decaying hardwoods like ash (Fraxinus), sugar maple (Acer saccharum), paper birch (Betula papyrifera), and poplar (Populus) from July through October. Its range spans eastern North America and even stretches to the Russian Far East (Primorsky Territory).
💡 Pro Tip: Look for a silver sheen on the cap, especially in younger mushrooms. A slight fuzzy texture at the center also hints at this species!
🌈 Psychedelic Properties
With moderate levels of psilocybin (0.5% - 1%) and psilocin (0.2% - 0.8%), Pluteus americanus offers a subtle but distinct psychoactive experience:
Visuals: Mild to moderate distortions, color enhancement
Mental: Altered perception, mood boost, creative enhancement
Physical: Increased energy and sensory sensitivity
Duration: Effects last around 4-6 hours
🌦️ Cultivation Tips
If you're interested in cultivating Pluteus americanus, it thrives best on wood-based substrates with temperatures between 70-75°F (21-24°C) and high humidity. This mushroom’s moderate resistance to contamination makes it a good challenge for intermediate cultivators.
🧐 Additional Notes
This mushroom’s distinctive blue staining can appear about 5-15 minutes after handling, especially at the base of the stem. This bruising may darken to a near-black over time. Keep your nose tuned too; P. americanus has a unique, slightly unpleasant odor, unlike other Pluteus species.
Mushroom Identification
🍄 Cap
Size: 0.39 to 2.76 inches (1 to 7 cm) across
Shape: Starts campanulate to hemispherical, becoming broadly convex to flat with age, often with a low, broad bump (umbo).
Texture & Color: Dark grayish-brown to brown, darker at the center with fine scales, sometimes becoming paler and lighter gray as it dries. The margin can have fine, radial lines (fibrils). The cap is dry to slightly sticky when moist and may bruise blue, especially in the center.
🍃 Gills
Arrangement: Crowded, free from the stem, broad.
Color Transition: White at first, turning pink, and finally brownish-pink at maturity.
Bruising: Sometimes bruises blue.
📏 Stem
Size: 0.39 to 2.76 inches (1 to 7 cm) long, 30–60 mm thick, often slightly swollen at the base.
Color: Whitish, with shades of grayish-green to bluish-green near the base, especially when damaged. Bruises slowly to grayish-blue.
Surface: Smooth or finely hairy, no ring present. Basal mycelium is white.
🍖 Flesh
Consistency: Thin, white, and unchanging when cut.
👃 Odor & Taste
Smell: Often likened to the scent of Pelargonium (geranium) leaves; can be strong but occasionally mild.
Taste: Mild, sometimes similar to Pelargonium leaves.
🦠 Spores
Spore Print: Pinkish-brown.
Spores: Smooth, ellipsoid, measuring 6.5–9.5 x 4.5–7 µm.
🔬 Microscopic Features
Pleurocystidia: Metuloid with 2–4 horn-like projections, 50–100 x 12–24 µm.
Cheilocystidia: Clavate to spheropedunculate, thin-walled, forming a sterile band.
Pileipellis: Cutis with cylindrical terminal cells, sometimes brownish.
🌳 Ecology
Habitat: Saprobic, typically found growing on decaying hardwood logs.
Season: Summer to fall.
Distribution: Common in eastern North America, reported as far as eastern Russia.
🧪 Additional Notes
Chemical Reaction: Negative KOH reaction on the cap surface.
Distinguishing Traits: Bluish bruising on gills, stem, and cap center; pink gills in maturity; unique Pelargonium-like scent.
Photo sources:
Photo 1 - Author: Rocky Houghtby (CC BY-SA 3.0)
Photo 2 - Author: Timothy Peden (CC BY-SA 3.0)
Photo 3 - Author: Eric Hensley (CC BY-SA 4.0)
Photo 4 - Author: Eric Hensley (CC BY-SA 4.0)
Photo 5 - Author: Brian Hunt (CC BY-SA 4.0)
