Psilocybe caerulipes

Cap:

1-3.5 cm in diameter, conical-obtuse, campanulate to convex, then broadly convex to broadly nipple-shaped, sometimes highly irregular. It is viscid, quickly drying and becoming shiny, with a gelatinized cuticle. The cap is smooth, hygrophanous, initially cinnamon-brown, dark brown to dark reddish-brown when moist and fresh, quickly becoming dark ochreous-chamois, ochreous cinnamon to brownish-cream when dry. Often, it becomes tinted or entirely bluish-green when bruised, sometimes slowly. The margin is initially incurved and bears remnants of the veil. It is translucent-striate.

Gills:

Adnate, sinuate to uncinate, narrow, very close to crowded, initially brownish, then rust-cinnamon with age, with slightly fringed edges, whitish.

Stem:

3-6 cm x 0.1-0.3 cm, equal to widened towards the base, tenacious, solid then stuffed and hollow, powdery towards the apex, covered with whitish to grayish fibrils towards the base. It is whitish to chamois at the top, then dark brown to reddish-brown towards the base, becoming bluish-green at the base when bruised or with age, sometimes slowly.

Partial Veil:

Cortinoid, sometimes leaving a fine, fleeting fibrillose annular zone.

Flesh:

Thin, flexible, bruising blue when cut, sometimes slowly.

Odor and Taste:

Floury odor and taste.

Spore Print:

Dark purple-brown.

Basidia:

With 2 and 4 sterigmata.

Spores:

Ellipsoid, smooth, thick-walled, with a large germination pore, measuring 7-10 x 4-5.5 µm, larger for spores produced on basidia with 2 sterigmata.

Cheilocystidia:

Lagena-shaped, with a fine and sometimes forked neck, measuring 18-35 x 4.5-7.5 µm, with an apex diameter of 1-2.5 µm.

Pleurocystidia:

Absent.

Chrysocystidia:

Absent.

Growth Mode:

Solitary, gregarious, or cespitose.

Ecology:

Saprotrophic, found on decaying hardwood wood, mostly on the ground, especially near beech, birch, and maple trees.

Fruiting Period:

August to October.

Frequency:

Rare.

Edibility:

Hallucinogenic, containing psilocin and psilocybin. Psilocybin is a naturally occurring compound that, when ingested, is converted into psilocin in the body. Psilocin is responsible for the hallucinogenic and psychoactive effects associated with these mushrooms. Here are some common psychoactive effects of Psilocybe caerulipes:

1. Visual Hallucinations: Psilocybe caerulipes can induce vivid visual hallucinations. Users may perceive alterations in colors, shapes, and patterns. Everyday objects may appear distorted or take on new, fantastical forms.

2. Altered Perception: Users often experience an altered perception of time and space. Minutes may feel like hours, and the boundaries between the self and the external world may become blurred.

3. Emotional and Cognitive Effects: These mushrooms can evoke a wide range of emotions, from euphoria and joy to anxiety or even panic. Thought patterns can become more fluid and imaginative, leading to deep introspection and self-reflection.

4. Spiritual and Mystical Experiences: Many individuals report having profound spiritual or mystical experiences while under the influence of Psilocybe caerulipes. These experiences can include a sense of unity with nature, a feeling of transcendence, and encounters with higher powers or spiritual entities.

5. Enhanced Creativity: Some users find that these mushrooms enhance their creativity, leading to artistic or intellectual insights.

6. Mindset and Setting: The effects of Psilocybe caerulipes can be significantly influenced by the individual's mindset and the environment in which they consume the mushrooms. It is often recommended to use them in a safe and comfortable setting, with trusted individuals, to minimize the risk of negative experiences.

7. Duration: The effects typically begin within 20-40 minutes of ingestion and can last anywhere from 4 to 6 hours, with the peak of the experience occurring around the 2-3 hour mark.

Remarks:

The bluing of all parts of this Psilocybe when bruised or with age aids in its identification, but it primarily blues at the base of the stem. The rarer P. aztecorum, similar to the naked eye, blues much more.