Psilocybe tampanensis Magic Mushrooms
Psilocybe tampanensis: Background
Psilocybe tampanensis magic mushrooms are very rare and were first described by American mycologist Steven Pollock and his academic advisor mycologist Gastón Guzmán in 1978. According to his other academic advisor Paul Stamets, Pollock skipped a "boring taxonomic conference" (the Second International Mycological Congress) near Tampa, Florida to go mushroom hunting with Gary Lincoff, and found a single specimen growing in a sand dune. Apparently he was so excited by this discovery that he exclaimed they had found the "philosopher's stone." In some sense he had as Pollock also discovered a method (and was granted a US patent for it in 1981) of producing sclerotia, a hardened mass of fungal mycelium, which is sold under the nickname "philosopher's stones" and has a psilocybin level range of 0.31% to 0.68% by dry weight. In contrast, the fruiting bodies can contain up to 1% psilocybin and psilocin according to mycologist Michael Beug, and Stamets considers the species "moderately to highly active".
Psilocybe tampanensis: Habitat
Psilocybe tampanensis magic mushrooms were only known from their original discovery location in Florida for almost 2 decades after their discovery. In 1996, Gastón Guzmán reported finding it on sandy soil in a Mississippi deciduous forest meadow, a habitat similar to that of the original location. However, due to its scarcity, its habitat preferences are not known with certainty.
Psilocybe tampanensis: Taxonomy/Naming
Genera
Psilocybe
Species Name
tampanensis
Sub Species
tampanensis
Common Name
Psilocybe tampanensis: Physical Description
Pileas
The cap is conic to convex with a slight central bump, and expands with maturity to be flat and sometimes with a small central depression. Ochraceous to straw brown, with bluish tones towards the edges.
Gills
Gills are broadly attached to the stem and brown to dark purple brown with lighter edges.
Spore Print
Purple-brown
Spores
Purple-brown
Stipe
Stem is cylindrical though may be slightly enlarged at the base, with fibrils towards the cap. Colour is whitish to yellowish and partial veil is cobweb-like and fleeting.
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