''Psilocybe serbica'' is a species of mushroom in the family
Hymenogastraceae. The mushroom contains the psychotropic compounds
psilocybin and
psilocin, and also related tryptamine alkaloids
baeocystin,
norbaeocystin, and
aeruginascin. It is closely related to ''
Psilocybe aztecorum
''Psilocybe aztecorum'' is a species of psilocybin mushroom in the family Hymenogastraceae. Known from Arizona, Colorado, central Mexico, India and Costa Rica, the fungus grows on decomposing woody debris and is found in mountainous areas at el ...
''. It was reported as new to science by
Meinhard Moser and
Egon Horak in 1969.
[ ]Molecular
A molecule is a group of two or more atoms held together by attractive forces known as chemical bonds; depending on context, the term may or may not include ions which satisfy this criterion. In quantum physics, organic chemistry, and bioche ...
analysis published in 2010 has shown that ''P. serbica'' is the same species as ''Psilocybe bohemica'' described by Šebek in 1983,[ ''Psilocybe arcana'' described by Borovička and Hlaváček in 2001,][ and ''Psilocybe moravica'' by Borovička in 2003.][ ''Psilocybe serbica'' is common in Central Europe.
]
Description
''Psilocybe serbica'' has no specific smell (somewhat raddish, but never farinaceous), and the taste is usually bitter
Bitter may refer to:
Common uses
* Resentment, negative emotion or attitude, similar to being jaded, cynical or otherwise negatively affected by experience
* Bitter (taste), one of the five basic tastes
Books
* ''Bitter (novel)'', a 2022 novel ...
. It is a very variable species.
Its cap is in diameter and obtusely conical
A cone is a three-dimensional geometric shape that tapers smoothly from a flat base (frequently, though not necessarily, circular) to a point called the apex or vertex.
A cone is formed by a set of line segments, half-lines, or lines conn ...
, later becoming campanulate or convex. It expands to broadly convex or plane in age and is incurved at first then plane or decurved with age. The cap is buff-brown to dingy orangish-brown and pale ochraceous when dry. It is smooth, hygrophanous, and slightly translucent-striate when moist but not viscid and without a separable gelatinous pellicle
Pellicle may refer to:
* Pellicle (biology), a thin layer supporting the cell membrane in various protozoa
* Pellicle mirror, a thin plastic membrane which may be used as a beam splitter or protective cover in optical systems
*Pellicle (dental), ...
. The flesh is whitish to cream-colored, bruising blue when injured.
Spore
In biology, a spore is a unit of sexual or asexual reproduction that may be adapted for dispersal and for survival, often for extended periods of time, in unfavourable conditions. Spores form part of the life cycles of many plants, algae, f ...
s are purple-brown, ellipsoid
An ellipsoid is a surface that may be obtained from a sphere by deforming it by means of directional scalings, or more generally, of an affine transformation.
An ellipsoid is a quadric surface; that is, a surface that may be defined as the ...
, slightly flattened, and thick-walled, with a distinct germ pore. The size is very variable, mostly 10–13 × 6–7.5 μm
The micrometre ( international spelling as used by the International Bureau of Weights and Measures; SI symbol: μm) or micrometer (American spelling), also commonly known as a micron, is a unit of length in the International System of Unit ...
, but also much longer.
The gills are adnate to adnexed and close, often distinctly subdecurrent. They are initially light brown, becoming dark brown with age with a purple tint, the edges remaining paler.
The stipe is long, and thick. It has an equal structure, slightly enlarging at the base. It is whitish with a silky gloss and glabrous, or with some whitish remnants of the fibrillose veil.
Habitat
''Psilocybe serbica'' is found growing mostly in groups, on well decayed deciduous and coniferous
Conifers are a group of cone-bearing seed plants, a subset of gymnosperms. Scientifically, they make up the division Pinophyta (), also known as Coniferophyta () or Coniferae. The division contains a single extant class, Pinopsida. All extant ...
wood, and along Urtica spp. or Rubus spp. on twigs, compost, plant residue in forests, usually in moist places along creeks, forest paths, and roadside verges. It is not reported to be synanthropic as Psilocybe cyanescens but rarely it may occur also on woodchips.
Alkaloid content
In ''Psilocybe serbica'' var. ''arcana'', concentrations of psilocin and psilocybin were in the range of 0.412–7.922 mg/g and 0.002–8.878 mg/g (dry weight), respectively. The concentrations of psilocin (0.027–2.485 mg/g) and psilocybin (1.553–15.543 mg/g) determined in var. ''bohemica'' were found significantly higher.
See also
* List of Psilocybin mushrooms
* Psilocybin mushrooms
References
*Borovicka J. (2006). New variety of ''Psilocybe moravica'' and notes on ''Psilocybe bohemica''. ''Czech Mycology'' 58(1-2): 75–80.
External links
*
{{Taxonbar, from=Q20963099
Entheogens
Fungi described in 1969
Fungi of Europe
Psychoactive fungi
serbica
Psychedelic tryptamine carriers