Shroom hunting Mushroom Hunting in Central America

[xctico]

I need help finding info about species found in Central America, Costa Rica actually. I know about amanita muscaria var flarivolvata, as well as psilocibe cubensis and copelandia cyanescens [for these I only need info on dangerous lookalikes, and how to tell them apart]. I need info on other shrooms found around here.





Any help would be appreciated.


thnx

[OneDiaDem]

Psilocybe squamosa (Pers.:Fr.) Orton
Photograph by R. E. Halling ©, 1996

A yellow ochre, viscid pileus that changes to olivaceous with age and a conspicuously squamose stipe below the peronate veil distinguish the taxon. Squamules can sometimes be found on the pileus near the margin. We have only seen this taxon under Quercus costaricensis at 3000 m in the Talamancas. The smooth basidiospores have a conspicuous germ pore.

[Alfa]

I read that because of the damp and warm atosphere, costa rica has an amazing amount differnet psilocybes growing there. If you live there, you are in the position to create a sporebank like no one has. Does anyone know if this is true.

[xctico]

Thnx for the feedback. Here's some info I've found on local species, but I still need to find out about the dangerous look alikes. I also think I might get myself a microscope to be able to identify shrooms without room for error [i don't wanna leave room for paranoia --bad trips...]


*claviceps paspali*

ergot mushroom

*copelandia cyanescens*
Cap: 1.5-3.5 (4) cm broad. Hemispherical to campanulate to convex at
maturity. Margin initially tranlucent when moist. Incurved in young
specimens. Light brown in color becoming pallid gray to whitish with
cap craking in age. Bruising blue when handled.

Gills: Adnexed, close and thin, mottled.

Stem: (65) 85-115 mm long by 1.5-3 mm thick. Equal to bulbous at the
base with fine fibrillose flecks, partial veil absent. Bluing
intensely when damaged bfrom human handling.

Spores: 12-14 X 7.5-11 mics.

Sporeprint: Black.

Habitat: Growing scattered to gregarious in manure heaps in the
tropics and neotropics of both hemispheres.

Distribution:Cosmopolitan, In dung in fields and pastures in Hawaii,
Louisiana and Florida (United States); Mexico, Brazil, Bolivia (South
America); The Philippines, Eastern Australia, India, Bali, Southeast
Asia and other similar locations.

Season: During and after heavy rains.

Dosage: 7 to 10 fresh mushrooms and from 1-2 grams dried.

Comment: Although this is a manured mushroom and Paul Stamets reported
this species in horse manure from Florida and found specimnes growing
in Tenino, Washington, the author of this guide has never collected
this species in fields where horses dominate the pastures. Only in
gaur, cow and buffalo manure.



*psilocybe cf. aztecorum*

Cap: (5-) 15-20 (-35) mm in diameter, obtuse or convex to campanulate,
becoming expanded, striate, hygrophanous, yellowish-brown or yellow-gold in some young s not strongly browning. Only the Margin stains slightly blue-green when injured.
Gills:Adnate or adnexed, light violet-gray to dark violet-brown or chocolate-violet.
Stem: 55-75 (-95) x (1.5) 3-4 (-5) mm, equal and thicker at the\<brbase, straight, staining blue-green when touched or with aging, with\<br\>rhizomorphs at the base of the stipe.\<br\>\<br\>Spores10.4) 12-14 (-17) x (6-) 6.7-7.7 (-8.8) x 6-7.5 microns.\<br\>elongate-ellipsoid in face view.\<br\>\<br\>Sporeprint:Blackish-violate.\<br\>\<br\>Habitat:Gregarious in groups of fruiting bodies of 5-20 specimens,\<br\>growing on soil with wood debris or on twigs or very rotten logs,\<br\>rarely on pine cones, in open woods of Pinus hartwegii with abundant\<br\>grasses at the 3200-4000 m of elevation.\<br\>\<br\>Distribution:Known only from the high mountains of Central Mexico,\<br\>such as Sierra Nevada (Rio Frio, Popocatépetl anbd Paso de Cortés),\<br\>Nevado de Toluca and La Malinche, in the States of Mexico, Puebla and\<br\>Tlaxcala.\<br\>\<br\>Season:\<br\>This fungus fruits from August through October.\<br\>\<br\>Dosage:Unavailable\<br\>\<br\> Comment:This fungus is employed by the Mexican Indians of the\<br\>Popocatépetl region, e.g. in the town San Pedro Nexapa. The younger\<br\>generation of Indian children sell this mushroom to tourists along\<br\>trhe wayside road to Popocatépetl and also in Huautla de Jiménez.Two\<br\>popular Nahuatla names for this species are &quot;niños&quot; and &quot;niñitos.&quot; The\<br\>name of this species refers to the Aztecs, who ate this fungus before\<br\>the Spanish came to the New World.\<br\>\<br\>******************************\< wbr\>***********Psilocybe\<br\>cubensis*********** ***********\<wbr\>*******\<br\>\<br\>Cap: (15-) 25-70 (-85) mm in diameter, conic to convex, becoming\<br\>campanulate to gradually expanding to plain. Color Copper in center to\<br\>a light golden brown. Hygrophanous in drying, remnants of a veil. and\<br\>bluing in the edge of the cap when injured.\<br\>\<br\>Gills:Adnate ot adnexed to seceding. At first dark gray becoming deep\<br\>",1]
);

//--> yellow-gold in some young button forms not strongly browning. Only the
Margin stains slightly blue-green when injured.

Gills:Adnate or adnexed, light violet-gray to dark violet-brown or
chocolate-violet.

Stem25-) 55-75 (-95) x (1.5) 3-4 (-5) mm, equal and thicker at the
base, straight, staining blue-green when touched or with aging, with
rhizomorphs at the base of the stipe.

Spores10.4) 12-14 (-17) x (6-) 6.7-7.7 (-8.8) x 6-7.5 microns.
elongate-ellipsoid in face view.

Sporeprint:Blackish-violate.

Habitat:Gregarious in groups of fruiting bodies of 5-20 specimens,
growing on soil with wood debris or on twigs or very rotten logs,
rarely on pine cones, in open woods of Pinus hartwegii with abundant
grasses at the 3200-4000 m of elevation.

Distribution:Known only from the high mountains of Central Mexico,
such as Sierra Nevada (Rio Frio, Popocatépetl anbd Paso de Cortés),
Nevado de Toluca and La Malinche, in the States of Mexico, Puebla and
Tlaxcala.

Season:
This fungus fruits from August through October.

Dosage:Unavailable

Comment:This fungus is employed by the Mexican Indians of the
Popocatépetl region, e.g. in the town San Pedro Nexapa. The younger
generation of Indian children sell this mushroom to tourists along
trhe wayside road to Popocatépetl and also in Huautla de Jiménez.Two
popular Nahuatla names for this species are "niños" and "niñitos." The
name of this species refers to the Aztecs, who ate this fungus before
the Spanish came to the New World.

*Psilocybe cubensis*

Cap: (15-) 25-70 (-85) mm in diameter, conic to convex, becoming
campanulate to gradually expanding to plain. Color Copper in center to
a light golden brown. Hygrophanous in drying, remnants of a veil. and
bluing in the edge of the cap when injured.

Gills:Adnate ot adnexed to seceding. At first dark gray becoming deep
&lt;&gt;<!--
D(["mb","violet gray to dark purplish brown. Sometimes mottled with whitish\<br\>edges.\<br\>\<br\>Stem40-) 70-120 (-170) X (4-) 8-13 (-16) mm. Equal, hollow, stem\<br\>whitish to a creamy white or yellow brown when faded, easily staining\<br\>blue where damaged. Fibrillose below the annulus.\<br\>\<br\>Spores12-) 13.2-15.4 (-17.6) x 7.7-9.9 (-11) x 7-8.8 microns.\<br\>\<br\>Sporeprint: Chocolate to purple-brown.\<br\>\<br\>Habitat:Gregarious, rarely solitary or scattered, on cow dung, rarely\<br\>on horse manure. Also in rich soil in pastures and meadows, along\<br\>roadsides in manure heaps.\<br\>\<br\>Distribution: Very common in subtropical regions, unknown in the\<br\>tropics. Known in Florida to Texas and North to Georgia, Cuba, Mexico,\<br\>Guatemala, South America, Viet-Nam, Cambodia, Thailand, Malaysia,\<br\>India , Fiji and Australia. Also either P. cubensis and/or P.\<br\>subcubensis in British Honduras.\<br\>\<br\>Season:Fruiting in summer, but also in different seasons around the globe.\<br\>\<br\>Dosage:1 or 2 large mushrooms weighing approximately one fresh ounce\<br\>or 10 to 40 mushrooms weighing same. 1 gram, considered an average\<br\>dose, three to five grams dried, equivalent to an Indian dosage..\<br\>\<br\>****************************** \<wbr\>***Psilocybe mexicana**********************\<br\>",1]
);
D(["mb","",0]
);
D(["ce"]);

//--> violet gray to dark purplish brown. Sometimes mottled with whitish
edges.

Stem40-) 70-120 (-170) X (4-) 8-13 (-16) mm. Equal, hollow, stem
whitish to a creamy white or yellow brown when faded, easily staining
blue where damaged. Fibrillose below the annulus.

Spores12-) 13.2-15.4 (-17.6) x 7.7-9.9 (-11) x 7-8.8 microns.

Sporeprint: Chocolate to purple-brown.

Habitat:Gregarious, rarely solitary or scattered, on cow dung, rarely
on horse manure. Also in rich soil in pastures and meadows, along
roadsides in manure heaps.

Distribution: Very common in subtropical regions, unknown in the
tropics. Known in Florida to Texas and North to Georgia, Cuba, Mexico,
Guatemala, South America, Viet-Nam, Cambodia, Thailand, Malaysia,
India , Fiji and Australia. Also either P. cubensis and/or P.
subcubensis in British Honduras.

Season:Fruiting in summer, but also in different seasons around the globe.

Dosage:1 or 2 large mushrooms weighing approximately one fresh ounce
or 10 to 40 mushrooms weighing same. 1 gram, considered an average
dose, three to five grams dried, equivalent to an Indian dosage..

*Psilocybe mexicana*
no info
<H4>Scaly-Stalked Psilocybe
Psilocybe Squamosa (Pers. ex Fr.) Orton
Strophariaceae, Agaricales</H4>



<TABLE border=1><T>
<T>
<TR>
<TH>Description </TH>
<TD>Sticky, brownish cap with grayish- to purple-brown gills and densely scaly stalk.</TD></TR>
<TR>
<TH>Cap </TH>
<TD>1" - 3" (2.5-7.5 cm) wide; conical, expanding to broadly knobbed; sticky, with evanescent marginal scales, becoming smooth; brown to tawny or olive-brown with age.</TD></TR>
<TR>
<TH>Gills </TH>
<TD>attached, close to almost distant, broad; whitish to gray or purple-brown.</TD></TR>
<TR>
<TH>Stalk </TH>
<TD>2 3/8" - 4 3/4" (6-12 cm) high, 1/8" - 3/8" (0.3-1 cm) thick; brownish, densely scaly below ring (scales and ring readily lost on handling or weathering).</TD></TR>
<TR>
<TH>Veil </TH>
<TD>partial veil leaving evanescent ring on stalk.</TD></TR>
<TR>
<TH>Spores </TH>
<TD>12-14 X 6-7.5 microns; elliptical, smooth, with pore at tip. Spore print purple-brown.</TD></TR>
<TR>
<TH>Season </TH>
<TD>Late August-October.</TD></TR>
<TR>
<TH>Habitat </TH>
<TD>Single to several, on decayed wood in mixed forests.</TD></TR>
<TR>
<TH>Range </TH>
<TD>Widespread in N. United States.</TD></TR>
<TR>
<TH>Look-alikes </TH>
<TD>P. thrausta has red cap.</TD></TR>
<TR>
<TH>Comments </TH>
<TD>This species has also been placed in the genera Stropharia and Naematoloma because it shares characteristics of all 3 groups. In fact, some specialists hold that these genera should be combined.</TD></TR>
<TR>
<TH>Images </TH>


editor's note</TD>
<TD>A quick check on the species in these other genera shows them to be either deadly or an excellent edible, but none show notes as to them being hallucinogenic. However, some in these other genera have no mention of edibility or toxicity. So much is still unknown. Just in case you were wondering -- as I was. Note too that there is no mention to this Psilocybe's edibility, toxicity, or hallucinogenic qualities if any.</TD></TR></T></T></TABLE>Edited by: Alfa

[xctico]

Originally Posted by Alfa

I read that because of the damp and warm atosphere, costa rica has an amazing amount differnet psilocybes growing there. If you live there, you are in the position to create a sporebank like no one has. Does anyone know if this is true.

how do I create a sporebank?

[Bodhisattva500]

collect different species, make spore prints, and when you need to make a withdrawal or deposit all you have to do is fill out the appropriate form and give it to the teller to process.

[xctico]

Originally Posted by Bodhisattva500

collect different species, make spore prints, and when you need to make a withdrawal or deposit all you have to do is fill out the appropriate form and give it to the teller to process.

I wonder if I'll get interest on those...

[Alfa]

I am sure you will.

[OneDiaDem]

Copelandia cyanescens are going to be the strongest I believe. Its a strain I am currently working on. Simply Awsome! I would love prints from all of those species.

[xctico]

I think I found some copelandia cyanescens the other day but I wasn't sure if they grew around here so I though it to bea look-alike.

How strong a microscope do you need to analize spores?