mushroomkit
several members of a family eat the mushrooms together: it is not uncommon for a father, mother, children, uncles, and aunts to all participate in these transformations of the mind that elevate consciousness onto a higher plan. The kinship relation is thus the basis of the transcendental subjectivity that Husserl said is intersubjectivity. The mushrooms themselves are eaten in pairs, a couple representing man and woman that symbolizes the dual principle of procreation and creation. Then they sit together in their inner light, dream and realize and converse with each other, presences seated there together, their bodies immaterialized by the blackness, voices from without their communality. In a general sense, for everyone present the purpose of the session is a therapeutic catharsis. The chemicals of transformation of revelation that open the circuits of light, vision, and communication, called by us mind-manifesting, were known to the American Indians as medicines: the means given to men to know and to heal, to see and to say the truth. Among the Mazatecs, many, one time or another during their lives, have eaten the mushrooms, whether to cure themselves of an ailment or to resolve a problem; but it is not everyone who has a predilection for such extreme and arduous experiences of the creative imagination or who would want to repeat such journeys into the strange, unknown depths of the brain very frequently: those who do are the shamans, the masters, whose vocation it is to eat the mushrooms because they are the men of the spirit, the men of language, the men of wisdom. They are individuals recognized by their people to be expert in such psychological adventures, and when the others eat the mushrooms they always call to be with them, as a guide, one of those who is considered to be particularly acquainted with these modalities of the spirit. The medicine man presides over the session, for just as the Mazatec family is paternal and authoritarian, the liberating experience unfolds in the authoritarian context of a situation in which, rather than being allowed to speak or encouraged to express themselves, everyone is enjoined to keep silent and listen while the shaman speaks for each of those who are present. As one of the early Spanish chroniclers of the New World said: "They pay a sorcerer who eats them the mushrooms] and tells them what they have taught him. He does so by means of a rhythmic chant in full voice."
n the U.S.) contribute to the therapeutic process; they may even be the sole source for future progress. Under these conditions, stereo music also significantly deepened the intensity of the experience. It appears that these kinds of specific experiences may also account for the remarkable success of treating terminal patients with LSD to ease their fears in the face of death and to reduce even the most severe forms of pain. In many such cases, symptoms disappeared entirely, and relief from pain and anxiety that continued even after the drug's acute effects had worn off. A book by S. Grof provides a compassionate analysis of such successful treatments, which serves to underscore the fact that systematic efforts to investigate these particular therapeutic benefits have only just begun. So far, LSD has been the most widely studied substance in terms of easing the suffering of terminally ill patients, as well as dipropyltryptamine (DPT), a synthetic drug structurally similar to psilocybin that is active only when administered by injection. Below, a young woman from Switzerland gives a detailed account of her second mushroom experience. Her first experiment, with Psilocybe cubensis, had already introduced her to the realm of mystical experiences. For her second journey, she used 20 Psilocybe semilanceata mushrooms as part of a group ritual and achieved transcendence. A remarkable feature of her account is that the presence of an experienced guide was needed to realize the full potential of this visionary quest. "1 sat down next to another participant, seeking to connect with others in preparation for my journey. We proceeded to eat the fresh mushrooms. The room grew quiet and lovely music began to play. The mushrooms's effects came on much faster than they did during my first experiment. Twice I tried to establish closer contact with my fellow participant, but he was very nervous, and no source of reassurance for me. I was seeking my spiritual companion, but did not find that person among the present group. I became a figure in a long, white robe, wandering aimlessly among the columns (Greece?), still searching. My gaze lingered briefly on the wall next to the door and I saw faces and figures appear and vanish, but they did not hold my interest. It was hopeless. I continued my aimless roaming, and I was on the material plane, which I wanted to leave - had to leave. Suddenly, I found myself with one of the guides, who wanted to help me. I stared off into the distance, longing to be free of the material plane, but unable to do so. For a long time, I failed to connect with the guide; our two worlds were just too different. Suddenly I sensed that he wasn't able to look at me directly. The path by which to reach me runs through my eyes, because only they are truly alive. I asked him to help me on my way and invited him to look into my eyes. I felt as if all life energy was draining from my bo This document provides complete directions for cultivating psilocybin Most users of the psychoactive visionary mushrooms have very little knowledge of their scientific names. Instead, they have given their favorite species local epithets which are commonly used by those who collect and ingest them. Some of these popular names are also known and applied by users outside of Australia and NZ. "Magic Mushrooms" is the most common term applied to any mushroom which contains psilocybine and/or psilocine. It was invented by a Life Magazine editor in l957 ( see Wasson, l957). Psilocybe cubensis is known in Australia as "golden tops", "gold tops" or sometimes "gold caps." The Australian epithets may have been given to this species by members of a local, drugusing group of surfers which frequented the Gold Coast region of Eastern Australia; however, some of these names have apparently been used to describe several different species of Psilocybe by users in Australia (see Allen, 1997). As mentioned above, Psilocybe cubensis is not known to occur in New Zealand. Those who ingest Copelandia cyanescens, known in Australia and New Zealand as "blue meanies", also refer to this species as "Blue Legs", "golden tops" or "gold caps". The latter two nicknames, as well as "dimple tops" and "cone heads", are common terms applied to Copelandia cyanescens in the Hawaiian Islands; and some of these same popular names have also been used by visiting surfers from both New Zealand and Australia, to describe the macroscopic characteristics of Copelandia cyanescens. These same surfers visiting Hawaii's North Shore have reportedly ingested mushrooms prior to surfing, as do many of the locally based surfers in Australia and NZ. a have been reported from the following countries: Finland, Norway, Sweden, Denmark, Germany, Switzerland, Austria, The Netherlands, Belgium, France, Russia, Poland, the former Czechoslovakia, Hungary, Romania, Scotland, England, Wales, Italy and Spain. Unfortunately, there are no comprehensive maps detailing the species's distribution pattern. Traditionally, mycologists have often neglected relatively tiny species, such as Psilocybe semilanceata, that tend to share their habitats with other, more prominent species. The sarcastic phrase "The mushrooms occur in abundance wherever mycologists abound" is particularly pertinent in reference to the Psilocybe species. Prior to the discovery of psilocybin, the Psilocybe genus languished in the literature, shrouded in obscurity. To this day, few 189. Psilocybe semilanceata Fr. Worthless] The cap is uniformly conic to bell-shaped, with a pointy or obtuse center forming an almost wart-like protrusion; initially, caps are often taller than they are wide, margins are bent and curved inward; later on, width of cap is 1.5-4 cm. Hygrophanous; coloration is a dirtyish olive-brown when wet, with translucent striate margins; at the center, coloration is ocher or greenish-yellow against an overall shade of smudgy pale yellow and oftentimes some greenish stains; only the margins are banded by a darkcolored, watery stripe around the edge. No stripes or banding evident when mushrooms are completely dried. Lacking a veil, caps are thin-fleshed, bald, with an easily separable pellicle that remains gelatinous-sticky for a long time, turning shiny when dry. Gills are olive brown to blackish purple brown in color, with the edges often remaining white, gill spacing is quite crowded; gill attachment is either roughly linear or mostly adnexed; up to 3.5 mm wide; attached at the stem only, fully detached later on. Spores are elongated to ellipitical in shape, smooth and large, measuring 12-16 u by 6-8,u. Color of spore dust is blackish purple brown. Stem is very slender, almost uniformly thin and always twisted, 6-12 cm long and 1.25-2 mm thick, yellowish or whitish in color; areas subjected to pressure develop bluishgreen stains. Stems are silky smooth and roughly at the center, cortinate fibrils appear like remnants of a veil, which is brittle and lined with a white fibrous cord of wool-like texture. When dry, the flesh of the cap is colored pale yellow, while the stem's flesh is ocher brown in color, especially towards the bottom. It is odorless and its flavor is mild. The mushroom grows from August to October, frequently in gregarious clusters, and can be found in pastures and along roadways, growing on dung that has undergone complete decomposition. It is not a particularly rare species. Figure 11(above) This excellent description of Psilocybe semilanceata by Michael & Schulz (1927) is shown here as originally published in German, with an English translation. Mycologists sp It has been suggested by an Australian physician that the general public in Australia, as well as members of its drug using subculture,
own
cause of death and disease, bloated stomachs and
insanity. Beliefs such as these have survived to
the present day. They persist, for example,,, as
figures of speech, s u c h as the slick Austrian
description of a societal misfit as someone "who
ate those madness-inducing mushrooms."
But, there is another, very different,
magic mushroom legacy as well.
Flesh of the Gods for Devil Worshippers
The Old World. Mycenaean civilization
began with a mushroom trip -Mushrooms were
an ingredient in the ambrosia of Dionysus.
Porphyrius, the fourth century Latin poet and
contemporary of Emperor Konstantin, knew
that magic mushrooms were the children of the
gods.
WHO WAS THE FIRST MAGICIAN?
A quasi-cannibalistic ritual, the act of eating the
children of the gods unlocked one's power to
experience the truly divine. But not all
mushrooms enable human beings to enter the
realm of divine consciousness. This magic power
resides in only those fungi known as "fool's
mushrooms", which were considered poisonous
and believed to How To Grow Copelandia be the spawn of the Devil
throughout the late Middle Ages and well into
modern times.
The New World: The Aztecs in Mexico
referred to a number of small, inconspicuous
mushrooms as teonartacatl, or "flesh of the
Gods." These sacred mushrooms were eaten
during the course of rituals intended to contact
the Gods in order to learn about the world and the
realm of the divine. These magic mushroom
rituals thoroughly spooked the Catholic
Spaniards.
The mushroom eaters, commonly
thought of as Devil worshippers, were hounded
by the Inquisition. Still, all good things survive
the tests of time, so the cult of magic mushroom
eaters did not become extinct. Like mycelia
underground, the cult continued to flourish, and
at the proper time in recorded history, in 1957,
the fruit of Trip Shrooms the fully grown mushroom re-surfaced
to draw widespread public attention. Valentine
and Gordon Wasson became the heroes of the
modern neo-mycophilic movement.
Back to the Old World: The revelations
and insights gained from the use of psychoactive
mushrooms were so magically wonderful, that
our native European "fool's mushrooms" - which
were gene ; considered inedible - had to be
recognized as closely related to the magic
mushrooms of Mexico, the flesh of the Aztec
Gods. The souls of magic mushrooms in Mexico
and Germany are essentially made from the same
substance: psilocybin.
Jochen Gartz has made an extraordinary
contribution to the field of mycology by embracing
Germany's magic mushrooms and the scientific
study and testing of these fungi. The research
efforts upon which this book is based require
nothing less than a fearless, brave and courageous
consciousness, free of prejudice and mycophobia. I
am convinced that a researcher's consciousness
infused by the spirit of the magic mushroom is
capable of far deeper scientific insights than we
can ever expect from the usual ivory tower
academics, isolated from reality
psilocybe illinois @ 9/7/2010 5:43:37 PM
Mushrooms Psilocybin Occurring Mushrooms Occurring align="left"> Mind-altering (psilocybine containing) mushrooms have been traditionally used in religious healing and curing ceremonies by native
CATTLE AS A POSSIBLE DISPERSAL MECHANISM FOR PSYCHOACTIVE DUNG FUNGI One may ask the question, "how did these mushrooms arrive in Australia and New Zealand?" Well some species may be endemic,that is, they were already there naturally. Other species such as the above described dung-inhabiting mushrooms most likelyappeared after the introduction of cattle on the subcontinent.The first livestock to arrive in Australia were brought from the Cape of Good Hope in1788, and included 2 bulls and 5 cows, along with other domesticated farm animals. Byl803, the government owned approximately 1800 cattle, most of which were importedfrom the Cape, Calcutta, and the west coast of America.It was during this period thatsome of the visionary mushrooms mentioned in this field guide probably first appeared inAustralia (Unsigned, 1973). According to Australian mycologist John Burton Cleland(1934), "fungi growing in cow or horse-dung and confined to such habitats, must in thecase of Australia, all belong to introduced species".
It is believed to have been the SouthAfrican dung beetle which may have actually spread the spores. According to Englishmycologist Roy Watling of the Royal Botanic Gardens in Glasgow, Scotland, "it must beremembered that fungi can change substrate preferences and there are coprophilousfungi on kangaroo droppings etc." Some mycologists who have studied the "magicmushrooms" in Australia and NZ claim that the "use of P. cubensis as a recreational drugtends to confirm the belief that some] farmers in early times may have] added one or two basidiomes gilled mushrooms] to a mealto liven it up and still do] Margot & Watling, 1981)." CATTLE AS A POSSIBLE DISPERSAL MECHANISM FOR PSYCHOACTIVE DUNG FUNGI One may ask the question, "how did these mushrooms arrive in Australia Growing Pluteus and New Zealand?" Well some species may be endemic,that is, they were already there naturally. Other species such as the above described dung-inhabiting mushrooms most likelyappeared after the introduction of cattle on the subcontinent.The first livestock to arrive in Australia were brought from the Cape of Good Hope in1788, and included 2 bulls and 5 cows, along with other domesticated farm animals. Byl803, the government owned approximately 1800 cattle, most of which were importedfrom the Cape, Calcutta, and the west coast of America. It was during this period thatsome of the visionary mushrooms mentioned in this field guide probably first appeared inAustralia (Unsigned, 1973). According to Australian mycologist John Burton Cleland(1934), "fungi growing in cow or horse-dung and confined to such habitats, must in thecase of Australia, all belong to introduced species". It is believed to have been the SouthAfrican dung beetle which may have actually spread the spores. According to Englishmycologist Roy Watling of the Royal Botanic Gardens in Glasgow, Scotland, "it must beremembered that fungi can change substrate preferences and there are coprophilousfungi on kangaroo droppings etc." Some mycologists who have studied the "magicmushrooms" in Australia and NZ claim that the "use of Obtaining Magic Mushroom Spores In Illinois P. cubensis as a recreational drugtends to confirm the belief that some] farmers in early times may have] added one or two basidiomes gilled mushrooms] to a mealto liven it up and still do] Margot & Watling, 1981)." CATTLE AS A POSSIBLE DISPERSAL MECHANISM FOR PSYCHOACTIVE DUNG FUNGI One may ask the question, "how did these mushrooms arrive in Australia and New Zealand?" Well some species may be endemic,that is, they were already there naturally. Other species such as the above described dung-inhabiting mushrooms most likelyappeared after the introduction of cattle on the subcontinent.The first livestock to arrive in Australia were brought from the Cape of Good Hope in1788, and included 2 bulls and 5 cows, along with other domesticated farm animals. Byl803, the government owned approximately 1800 cattle, most of which were importedfrom the Cape, Calcutta, and the west coast of America.
It was during this period thatsome of the visionary mushrooms mentioned in this field guide probably first appeared inAustralia (Unsigned, 1973). According to Australian mycologist John Burton Cleland(1934), "fungi growing in cow or horse-dung and confined to such habitats, must in thecase of Australia, semilanceata semilanceata of all belong to introduced species".
It is believed to have been the SouthAfrican dung beetle which may have actually spread the spores. According to Englishmycologist Roy Watling of the Royal Botanic Gardens in Glasgow, Scotland, "it must beremembered that fungi can change substrate preferences and there are coprophilousfungi on kangaroo droppings etc." Some mycologists who have studied the "magicmushrooms" in Australia and NZ claim that the "use of P. cubensis as a recreational drugtends to confirm the belief that some farmers in early times [may have added one or two basidiomes gilled mushrooms to a mealto liven it up [and still do Margot & Watling, 1981)." CATTLE AS A POSSIBLE DISPERSAL MECHANISM FOR PSYCHOACTIVE DUNG FUNGI One may ask the question, "how did these mushrooms arrive in Australia and New Zealand?" Well some species may be endemic,that is, they were already there naturally.
Other species such as the above described dung-inhabiting mushrooms most likelyappeared after the introduction of cattle on the subcontinent.
The first livestock to arrive in Australia were brought from the Cape of Good Hope in1788, and included 2 bulls and 5 cows, along with other domesticated farm animals. Byl803, the government owned approximately 1800 cattle, most of which were importedfrom the Cape, Calcutta, and the west coast of America.
It was during this period thatsome of the visionary mushrooms mentioned in this field guide probably first appeared inAustralia (Unsigned, 1973). According to Australian mycologist John Burton Cleland(1934), "fungi growing in cow or horse-dung and confined to such habitats, must in thecase of Australia, all belong to introduced species".
It is believed to have been the SouthAfrican dung beetle which may have actually spread the spores.
According to Englishmycologist Roy Watling of the Royal Botanic Gardens in Glasgow, Scotland, "it must beremembered that fungi can change substrate preferences and there are coprophilousfungi on kangaroo droppings etc." Some mycologists who have studied the "magicmushrooms" in Australia and NZ claim that the "use of P. cubensis as a recreational drugtends to confirm the belief that some farmers in early times may have added one or two basidiomes gilled mushrooms to a mealto liven it up and still do Margot & Watling, 1981)." ure of Psilocybe semilanceata (with sclerotia formation). Figure 48 - Inocybe aeruginascens on grassy soil Figure 49 - Psilocybe cubensis on horse manure and rice. portions of mycelia whose texture is somewhat like wool. The kind of viruses known to appear in champignon cultures - where they have already caused a lot of damage - have so far not been found in cultures of the Psilocybe and Panaeolus species. It is safe to say that we currently know a great deal about the nutritional requirements of Psilocybe cubensis. To a lesser extent, such information is available about other species as well. Armed with this knowledge, future researchers may well discover new insights into physiology of these species, as well as the biochemical changes that occur during fruiting. In my experiments, it has already been established that the process of differentiation whereby mycelia are transformed into sclerotia or fruiting bodies is linked to increased production of psilocybin as well as psilocin, especially in Psilocybe cubensis. Due to the relatively complex methodology and the type of equipment needed to isolate and maintain sterile cultures, it appears unlikely that cultivation of Psilocybe cubensis mushrooms by laypersons will significantly heighten the mushroom's popularity or widen its area of distribution anytime soon. However, since the early 1980s, growing numbers of mycophiles in North America and Europe have successfully used "natural outdoor cultivation" to fruit Psilocybe cyanescens and similar species. This process involves selection of natural wood substrates striated with mycelia (rhizomorphs) that usually turn blue in response to handling. The mycelia are then transferred onto fresh wood chips or commercial mulch (not from cedar trees). After several months of growth, the mycelia fruit during the fall season. Figure 50 - Surface culture of Inocybe aeruginascens on a liquid nutrient medium. Figure 51 - Panaeolus subbalteatus on cow dung and rice. Figure 52 - Psilocybe cubensis on wet newspaper. CHAPTER 7 PSYCHOTROPIC MUSHROOM SPECIES AROUND THE WORLD Figure 53 - Psilocybe cubensis on compost. Figure 54 - Psilocybe stuntzii (grasslands variety) from British Columbia. Figure 55 - Giant mushroom sculpture from Kerala, India. There is considerable debate among experts about the significance and purpose of the sculpture. Figure 56 - Magic mushrooms & water buffalo t-shirt from Thailand, designed for the Western tourist market. CHAPTER 7.1 SPOTLIGHT ON NORTH AMERICA AND HAWAII In 1961, V.E. Tyler became the first investigator to report the detection of psilocybin in Psilocybe pelliculosa (Smith) Singer & Smith, a North American mushroom species. One year later, two research groups, working independently, discovered psilocybin, as well as psilocin, in samples of Psilocybe baeocystis Singer & Smith from the Pacific Northwest region of North America. Additional chemical and taxonomic findin This document provides complete directions for cultivating psilocybin
JOCHEN GARTZ
MAGIC MUSHROOMS
Around the World
A Scientific Journey Across Cultures and
Time
The Case for Challenging Research
and Value Systems
* LIS PUBLICATIONS * LOS ANGELES, CA*
Figure 1 - Water Color Painting of Psilocybe semilanceata
(Germany, 1927)
TABLE OF CONTENT (With Active Links' Just Click On A Subject To Go To The Page)
"Who Was the First Magician?" - Foreword by Christian Ratsch 7
1. Introduction 9
2. Reflections on the History and Scientific Study of Magic Mushrooms 10
3. The Current State of Knowledge About European Species 14
3.1 Psilocybe semilanceata: The Classic Species Among European Psychotropic Mushrooms 16
3.2 Psilocybe cyanescens: Potent Mushrooms Growing on Wood Debris 29
3.3 Panaeolus subbalteatus: Mycology and Myths about the Panaeolus Species 37
3.4 Inocybe aeruginascens: Fast-Spreading New Arrivals 44
3.5 Gymnopilus purpuratus: Magnificent Mushrooms from South America 51
3.
6 Conocybe cyanopus: Tiny Mushrooms of Remarkable Potency 55
3.7 Pluteus salicinus: A Little-known Wood-Inhabiting Species 58
4. Mushroom Identification: Taxonomic Confusion and the Potential for Deadly Mistakes 61
5.
Psilocybin mushroom spore los angeles
The Bluing Phenomenon and Metol Testing: Reality vs. Wishful Psilocybin mushroom spore los angeles Thinking 63 6. Mushroom Cultivation: Classic Findings and New Techniques 66 7.Psychotropic Mushroom Species Around the World 77 7.1 Spotlight on North America and Hawaii 79 7.2 Mycophilia in Central and South America 82 7.3 Australia's Mycoflora Attracts Attention 84 7.4 European Customs and Conventions 87 7.5 Japanese Experimentation 93 7.6 Intoxications and the Oldest Known Mushroom Cult in Africa 95 7.7 Usage in Southeast Asia and the South Pacific Islands 98 8. Some Comments on Effects of Mushrooms from the Category Phantastika 102 9. Psychotherapy 108 10.
Outlook 114 11. Bibliography 120 Index 129 Figure 2 - Psilocybe cubensis from Australia Figure 3 - Water color painting of Panaeolus subbalteatus (Germany, 1927). Figure 4 - Fresh Panaeolus subbalteatus mushrooms.
FOREWORD Nobody knows precisely when the first magic mushroom emerged from the shadows of prehistory to enter the light of consciousness. Nobody knows when the first magic mushroom was eaten by a human being. Nobody knows just who the first magic mushroom eater was. In seeking answers to these questions, we can only speculate. Mycophobes, however, are quick to voice their conviction that only a fool would be reckless enough to Mushroom Grow Boxes Psilocybin want to attain a higher state of consciousness beyond the boundaries of everyday reality. And only a fool would attempt to do this by ingesting those odd little things that mysteriously thrive on decaying, humid soil, rotten wood and malodorous mounds of cow manure. Historically, magic, mushrooms have been feared and hated` since antiquity: magic mushrooms were thought to be made from poisons that had dripped from serpents' fangs; they were considered to be unclean emissions of evil spirits; moreover, mushrooms were a kn As they say, ʼTis the season to be pickingʼ, but make xican mushroom species, so that these materials need not be repeated in this context. However, certain aspects concerning the more recent uses of these mushrooms as well as their conditions of growth will receive more detailed attention in later chapters. The main purpose of this book is to inspire further study of these mushrooms, particularly basic research efforts and medical applications of magic mushroom ingredients. The extensive bibliography will help scientists and other interested mycophiles to further immerse themselves in this complex area of study. Jochen Gartz Figure 6 - Bronze doors with mushroom motif entitled "Trial and Judgment" at Hildesheim Cathedral, Germany (ca. 1020). CHAPTER 2 REFLECTIONS ON THE HISTORY AND SCIENTIFIC STUDY OF MAGIC MUSHROOMS It is remarkable that cultures native to the American continent knew about a relatively large number of natural mind-altering substances compared to early cultures that evolved in magic mushroom spores spores illinois magic Europe or Asia. Botanical evidence does not support the notion that Europe is home to fewer hallucinogenic plants than other regions. Furthermore, the growing number of recently discovered European mushroom species containing psilocybin indicate a flourishing psychotropic mycoflora in Europe similar to those found in other countries. It is unlikely that early European cultures learned less about local plants and mushrooms through usage and experience than cultures elsewhere in the world. Most likely, early cultural knowledge of European psychoactive plants and mushrooms was lost or destroyed at some time in history, probably as early as several hundred years ago. The discovery that the fly agaric mushroom (Amanita muscaria) was known for its psychoactive properties in Siberia invited the conclusion that this mushroom was used as a psychotropic agent in medieval Europe as well. In fact, there is very little evidence from the Middle Ages to indicate widespread knowledge of the effects of specific mushrooms on human consciousness. However, I believe that past reports on psychoactive mushrooms were causally linked to Amanita muscaria simply because this was the only known psychotropic mushroom in Europe at that time. While the usage of Amanita muscaria among Siberian tribes has generated reports of spectacular hallucinations, European accounts of fly agaric intoxications do not generally include descriptions of Erowid such intensely hallucinatory effects. Accordingly, the potent hallucinogenic effects of specific Psilocybes and related species are likely to have had a much more significant influence on early European cultures than the delirium-like visions induced by Amanita muscaria, a species that is also known to induce unconsciousness and severe somatic side effects.
This hypothesis is corroborated by data from comprehensive field studies conducted in Mexico. I believe that historic accounts including those described below - indicate a knowledge of Most users of the psychoactive visionary mushrooms have very little knowledge Mushrooms Net of their scientific names. Instead, they have given their favorite species local epithets which are commonly used by those who collect and ingest Shrooms And Drug Test them. Some of these popular names are also known and applied by users outside of Australia and NZ. "Magic Mushrooms" is the most common term applied to any mushroom which contains psilocybine and/or psilocine. It was invented by a Life Magazine editor in l957 ( see Wasson, l957). Psilocybe cubensis is known in Australia as "golden tops", "gold tops" or sometimes "gold caps." The Australian epithets may have been given to this species by members of a local, drugusing group of surfers which frequented the Gold Coast region of Eastern Australia; however, some of these names have apparently been used to describe several different species of Psilocybe by users in Australia (see Allen, 1997).
As mentioned above, Psilocybe cubensis is not known to occur in New Zealand. Those who ingest Copelandia cyanescens, known in Australia and New Zealand as "blue meanies", also refer to this species as "Blue Legs", "golden tops" or "gold caps". The latter two nicknames, as well as "dimple tops" and "cone heads", are common terms applied to Copelandia cyanescens in the Hawaiian Islands; and some of these same popular names have also been used by visiting surfers from both New Zealand and Australia, to describe the macroscopic characteristics of Copelandia cyanescens. These same surfers visiting Hawaii's North Shore have reportedly ingested mushrooms prior to surfing, as do many of the locally based surfers in Australia and NZ.