Psilocybe baeocystis
Description
Psilocybe baeocystis, also known by names Like Bottle Caps, Knobby Tops, Blue Bells, and Olive caps, is a fascinating psilocybin mushroom from the Hymenogastraceae family ๐. This hallucinogenic species contains the compounds psilocybin, psilocin, and baeocystin, known for their psychoactive effects. ๐ฟ
This species is recognizable by its robust stature, hygrophanous cap, and the distinctive blue bruising of the flesh when cut. The mushroomโs psychoactive compounds can range from 0.15% to 0.85% psilocybin, with psilocin up to 0.59% and baeocystin up to 0.10%, as confirmed in studies by Beug and Bigwood (1981). ๐
While Psilocybe baeocystis shares some similarities with Psilocybe aztecorum, it remains a unique and potent mushroom with significant historical and scientific interest.
Mushroom Identification
๐งข Cap:
Diameter: 0.6 to 2.2 inches (1.5 to 5.5 cm)
Shape: Conic to convex, occasionally flat with age
Color: Dark olive-brown to buff-brown, sometimes steel-blue; turns copper brown when dry. Fades to pallid white.
Texture: Hygrophanous (color changes when drying), viscid with a separable gelatinous pellicle. Often wavy and striate (lined) at the margin. The cap may be sticky.
Special Note: Bruises bluish-green, especially near the edges.
๐ Flesh:
Color: Yellowish-brown in cap, brownish-orange in stem. Stains blue when bruised or cut.
๐ Gills:
Attachment: Adnate to sinuate (slightly curved)
Color: Grayish to dark cinnamon-brown with paler edges.
๐ Stem:
Size: 1.97 to 2.76 inches (5 to 7 cm) long, 2โ3 mm thick
Color: Pallid to brownish, often yellowish towards the apex; covered with fine white fibrils. Stains blue-green when damaged.
Structure: Brittle, stuffed with loose fibers, with distinct rhizomorphs (root-like structures) at the base.
๐ฐ Veil:
Thin and cobweb-like; quickly disappears, sometimes leaving faint fibrils on the stem.
๐ Odor & Taste:
Strongly farinaceous (like fresh flour or meal).
๐ฌ Microscopic Features:
Spore Print: Dark purplish-brown
Spores: 9.5โ13.7 x 5.5โ6.6 ฮผm, mango-shaped with thick walls.
Cheilocystidia: Fusoid with a narrow neck, forming a sterile band along the gill edges.
๐ฒ Habitat:
Found growing alone or in clusters on bark, wood chips, peat moss, decaying conifer mulch, and occasionally on lawns, pastures, and rarely in conifer forests.
Often seen in gardens, flower beds, and near Douglas-fir seed cones from fall to early winter, and occasionally in spring.
This hemiboreal mushroom is common in the Pacific Northwest and typically grows from August to December, with rare sightings as early as late June.
โ ๏ธ Note: Psilocybe baeocystis is a psychoactive species and can bruise blue easily. Proper identification is essential for anyone exploring wild mushrooms!
Look-Alikes
1๏ธโฃ Psilocybe cyanescens: It has a thinner veil, a more conical cap that is typically olive-brown when young, and a smooth, non-wavy cap margin, while P. cyanescens features a broad, umbonate cap with a wavy margin.๐
2๏ธโฃ Psilocybe strictipes: Has a long, brittle, and straight stem, which sets it apart from P. baeocystis. ๐ฟ
Photo source: Alan Rockefeller (CC BY-SA 4.0)