''Deconica coprophila'', commonly known as the dung-loving psilocybe, or dung demon, is a species of

mushroom A mushroom or toadstool is the fleshy, spore-bearing fruiting body of a fungus, typically produced above ground, on soil, or on its food source. ''Toadstool'' generally denotes one poisonous to humans. The standard for the name "mushroom" is ...

in the family

Strophariaceae The Strophariaceae are a family of fungi in the order Agaricales. Under an older classification, the family covered 18 genera and 1316 species. The species of Strophariaceae have red-brown to dark brown spore prints, while the spores themselves a ...

. First described as ''Agaricus coprophilus'' by

Jean Baptiste François Pierre Bulliard Jean Baptiste François Pierre Bulliard (also Pierre Bulliard; 24 November 1752, in Aubepierre-sur-Aube Haute-Marne – 26 September 1793, in Paris) was a French physician and botanist. Bulliard studied in Langres, where he became interested ...

in 1793, it was transferred to the genus ''

Psilocybe ''Psilocybe'' ( ) is a genus of gilled mushrooms, growing worldwide, in the family Hymenogastraceae. Most or nearly all species contain the psychedelic compounds psilocybin and psilocin. Taxonomy Taxonomic history A 2002 study of the m ...

'' by

Paul Kummer Paul Kummer (22 August 1834 – 6 December 1912) was a minister, teacher, and scientist in Zerbst, Germany, known chiefly for his contribution to mycological nomenclature. Earlier classification of agarics by pioneering fungal taxonomist Elias Ma ...

in 1871. In the first decade of the 2000s, several

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 bio ...

studies showed that the ''Psilocybe'' was

polyphyletic A polyphyletic group is an assemblage of organisms or other evolving elements that is of mixed evolutionary origin. The term is often applied to groups that share similar features known as homoplasies, which are explained as a result of conver ...

, and the non-bluing (non-

hallucinogenic Hallucinogens are a large, diverse class of psychoactive drugs that can produce altered states of consciousness characterized by major alterations in thought, mood, and perception as well as other changes. Most hallucinogens can be categorized ...

) species were transferred to ''

Deconica ''Deconica'' is a genus of mushroom-forming fungi in the family Strophariaceae. It was formerly considered synonymous with ''Psilocybe'' until molecular studies showed that genus to be polyphyletic, made of two major clades: one containing bluing ...

''. It can grow on cattle dung. While non-toxic, the species is not a good

edible mushroom Edible mushrooms are the fleshy and edible fruit bodies of several species of macrofungi (fungi which bear fruiting structures that are large enough to be seen with the naked eye). They can appear either below ground ( hypogeous) or above gro ...

References

External links

* Strophariaceae Fungi described in 1793 Fungi of Europe Fungi of North America Inedible fungi {{Agaricales-stub