A psilocybin-containing mushroom in the Hymenogastraceae, described by Stamets and Gartz in 1995 from coastal Oregon, with one of the highest reported psilocybin contents of any mushroom. It has a caramel to chestnut cap with a broad, persistent umbo and a separable gelatinous pellicle, grows on wood chips and woody sandy soils near coastal dune grasses, and bruises strongly blue.
Psychoactive; not a food mushroom. Contains psilocybin, psilocin and baeocystin, which cause hallucinations and altered perception; temporary weakness or paralysis ('wood lover's paralysis') has been reported anecdotally. Illegal in many countries, including under US federal law; legal status varies. Deadly, amatoxin-containing Galerina species also grow on wood debris; Galerina has a rusty-brown spore print.
Psychoactive species. Provided for scientific, educational and research purposes only. Psychoactive mushrooms — including those containing psilocybin or muscimol — are restricted or illegal to possess, sell or cultivate in many countries and jurisdictions; some permit regulated, medical or decriminalized use. Check the laws where you are. WeMush does not encourage illegal activity.
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Mycology is an evolving science: names, classifications and safety information change as research advances. Entries are compiled from cited sources and reviewed, but may be incomplete or out of date — check the sources, and never rely on this library alone to identify or eat a mushroom.
Habitat
Caespitose to gregarious on deciduous wood chips and sandy soils rich in woody debris, with an affinity for coastal dune grasses; forms a dense mycelial mat that bleaches the wood. Fruits late September to late December or early January.
Distribution
Native to a small area of the US West Coast, centered on the Columbia River delta: Depoe Bay, Oregon, north to Grays Harbor County, Washington (type from Hammond, Oregon); infrequent in the Willamette Valley. Feral specimens reported in Stuttgart, Germany.
Characteristics
Cap: 3-10 cm; conic to convex, flattening with age, with a pronounced broad umbo; chestnut to ochraceous brown or caramel, often with dark blue zones; viscid with a separable gelatinous pellicle; hygrophanous, fading to light straw. Gills: sinuate to adnate, close; brown, staining black when injured; edges whitish. Stem: 9-20 cm long, 3-6 mm thick; silky white, dingy brown with age; hollow at maturity; base with coarse white mycelial tufts, often tinged azure. Spore print: dark purplish brown to purplish black. Odor/taste: odorless to starchy; taste extremely bitter. Key features: strong blue bruising, broad umbo, gelatinous pellicle, coastal wood-debris habitat.
