Psilocybe subaeruginosa

[waylitjim]

Some nice subs from Australia.

Photo credits to Shroomer Nick, Shroomka, Bread, Ooisi

[hogwild]

damn wlj, you always have the coolest threads.

[{Mr}fLoYd]

That first pic leaves me with a lack of words, some amazing stuff right there - thank for sharing

[waylitjim]

The subaeruginosa group:

Psilocybe subaeruginosa, Psilocybe australiana, Psilocybe eucalypta

Several species have been included into the species of Psilocybe subaeruginosa. While they should all be called simply Psilocybe subaeruginosa, we feel that for the time being it is helpful for researchers to have access to the descriptions of the species under their previous species headings. Please note, that over time and with confirmation of these taxonomic findings the old species names will become defunct and will be removed. - Blue_Meanie

Psilocybe subaeruginosa (Cleland 1927)
Potency: medium to high.

Habititat: Psilocybe subaeruginosa is a lignious species, found on wood debris, pine mulch, eucalyptus mulch and has been reported in kangaroo and cow manure. Reported from Western, South Australia, Victoria, Tasmania and NSW in Australia and also in New Zealand.

Description: A large species with a dark brown hydrophanous cap, strong umbo and a hollow, white stem. It has very crowded gills that ascend towards the stem and are quickly chocolate brown in colour. Cap and stem stain strongly blue. The cap can often be uplifted at maturity, but tends toward being inrolled at the margin throughout most of its development. The Stem is often covered with fine greyish brown streaks - indicative of this mushroom and Psilocybe australiana. The bluing reaction tends to vary from location, with South Australian specimens demonstrating considerable blue-staining, even of mycelia (Reville 2002). Main indicators are the hollow stems, dark brown cap colour and ascending gills - all of which have been noted in Victorian varieties of Psilocybe subaeruginosa variant australiana. (Kata, James 2002)

Microscopic Features: In Victoria this mushroom is identical to Guzman's Psilocybe australiana with lageniform to leychniform hyaline pleurocystidia, 4-spored basidia (Teonan, James, Kata, Workman 2002) and a spore size around 11-15, by 6-9 (Reville 2002). Spores purple brown. Type Specimens from South Australia and NSW tend between lageniform to Ventricose-Rostrate P.cystidia. Importantly, cystidia are always hyaline.

Psilocybe australiana (Guzman)
Potency: medium to extreme.

Habititat: Psilocybe australiana is a lignious mushroom found in landscape gardens throughout Victoria, NSW and possibly Western Australia. Commonly found on Eucalyptus and pine mulch, rarely on pine needles.

Description: This mushroom is identical to Ps.subaeruginosa. In Victoria this mushroom can be categorised into two distinct types. Firstly it is commonly found as a large umbonated mushroom with a sharp nipple, orangy brown hydrophanous cap with a margin often flecked with white veil remnants and strongly visible radial lines (striate). The stem is a strong white with a consistant radius, chestnust brown when the flesh is broken. The gills are very crowded, whitish brown soon dark chocolate brown and ascending towards the stem. Cap and stem often spotted with dark blue stains, and flesh quickly stains bluish/black upon damage.
The other Victorian variety is the one originally described by Guzman as wavy-capped. This was recently identified incorrectly by Guzman personally as Psilocybe australiana (Wira 2002). Characterised by its wavy cap margin similar to Psilocybe cyanescens, a dark chestnut brown hydrophanous cap, bone to chocolate brown gills that seem more distant than the umbonated variety. Again a white stem that is caramel brownish when broken and quickly staining dark bluish, but rarely black. The cap fades from the centre, remaining darker toward the margin, which exhibits strong radial lines. The stem of the wavy cap is often quite thin, with mycelia radiating at the base.

Microscopic Features: Spore print is dark purple-brown as with Psilocybe subaeruginosa. Spore size is similar to Cleland's Psilocybe subaeruginosa with 12-14.5 by 6-9 (Reville and Kata 2002) with pleurocystidia hyaline, and always lageniform to sub-lechyniform (Teonan, Kata, James, Workman 2002) - similar in shape to Cleland's Psilocybe subaeruginosa. (James).

Psilocybe eucalypta (Guzman and Watling)
Potency: medium to high.

Habititat: Psilocybe eucalypta is a lignious species found growing on Eucalyptus mulch, pine and other wood debris. Reported in lawns with underlying wood debris and of this mushroom growing off kangaroo manure. Found only in NSW and possibly Tasmania.

Description: This mushroom's appearance is quite similar to other Subaeruginosa variants. It is characteristed as a large wood-loving psilocybe with a flat non-umbonated cap often somewhat umbrella like, developing to a flat disc that is rarely uplifted at maturity. The cap is reddish-bronze-brown drying to a light yellowish straw with the similar colour to the stem. Macroscopic descriptions by Guzman and Watling describe a white ring around the margin. It has been seen with an umbo, but not a pointed nipple. Margin is tends toward radial lines (striate). The stem is even and whitish with blue streaks and has been recorded as up to 12 cm tall. It often splits with age. The Gills are a smoky brown and quite distant unlike other subaeruginosa variants and do not tend to ascend towards their attachment with the stem. Flesh white bruising bluish.

Microscopic Features: Spore print is a smoky brown with purplish tinges. Certainly purple, but more brown than other psilocybes. Spore size is consistantly 11.7 by 5.5 to 7.1.(Reville and Kata 2002). Pleurocystidia always hyaline, with four consistant shapes ranging from mucronate, fuscoid ventricose to sub-lageniform, with one type that resemble a nippled breast. (Teonan, Kata, James and Workman 2002).

Text from Blue Meanies Austrailian Mycology Page

[Fungusaurus]

Very cool pics - looks like fudge on sticks

[troutlips]

As always, another interesting lesson from Waylitjim!

[BuckarooBanzai]

Totally killer pics and text. You publish great stuff, man.

[SharkieJones]

Waylit you always have the best pics man.