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inski
Cortinariologist
Registered: 02/28/06
Posts: 5,767
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Psilocybe alutacea in New Zealand. 2
#13323519 - 10/11/10 10:42 PM (13 years, 5 months ago) |
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A friend and member here J.T contacted me about some blueing mushrooms he had found fruiting in cow manure and soil in a potted plant, the manure was collected from a local farm here on the west coast of Auckland, at first I suspected he may have a blueing Panaeolus species but after examining the fruit bodies I was amazed to find that it was actually a Psilocybe species that looked remarkably similar to P. samuiensis which is known only from Thailand, after a thorough microscopic examination I was able to confirm that it was actually a perfect match to the tropical species P. samuiensis. Here is an image of one of the fresh fruit bodies.
Here are the spores in 3%KOH, Subrhomboid in face view, broadly ellipsoid in side view with a broad flattened germ pore, they measure (9.5)10-10.5(11.2)x(6.5)7.2-7.5(7.6)µm and the average length and width of 20 spores was 10.2x7.1µm with a wall thickness of 0.5-0.8µm.
Basidia, subcylindrical to clavate, hyaline, 4 spored, average length and width was 23x8µm.
Cheilocystidia, ventricose-lageniform, hyaline, often with an irregular bifurcate neck, average length and width was 21.5x6.9µm.
Pleurocystidia, ventricose to sublageniform, hyaline, average length and width was 20x6.4µm.
I was very surprised to find this tropical species in NZ and wonder how it was introduced, the temperatures seem to be a bit cold to support fruitings of this species here but the composting of the manure may have produced enough warmth to allow fructification to occur, it will be interesting to see if this species is fruiting in the field where the manure was collected.
Edited by inski (02/07/14 10:53 PM)
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jet li
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Re: Psilocybe samuiensis in New Zealand. [Re: inski]
#13323531 - 10/11/10 10:44 PM (13 years, 5 months ago) |
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woohooo!!!!
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TimmiT
Registered: 03/23/10
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Loc: Victoria
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Re: Psilocybe samuiensis in New Zealand. [Re: inski]
#13323776 - 10/11/10 11:50 PM (13 years, 5 months ago) |
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It's crazy that a tropical species can fruit at such a southerly latitude (almost the same lat as me). I wonder whether these were introduced through cultivation.
-------------------- "Reality leaves a lot to the imagination" ~ John Lennon
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inski
Cortinariologist
Registered: 02/28/06
Posts: 5,767
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Re: Psilocybe samuiensis in New Zealand. [Re: jet li]
#13323805 - 10/11/10 11:58 PM (13 years, 5 months ago) |
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I doubt very much that anyone is cultivating P. samuiensis here, it's absolutely possible that the spores could travel on wind currents over a very long distance, Thailand is a very popular tourist destination and spores could also be introduced unwittingly by people returning from holiday!
The field where the manure was collected is near the coast and the soil is probably heavily manured and sandy which would provide a perfect habitat for that species, all that remains to be seen is whether or not it is fruiting there.
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Workman
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Re: Psilocybe samuiensis in New Zealand. [Re: inski]
#13323882 - 10/12/10 12:29 AM (13 years, 5 months ago) |
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Macroscopically it is much closer to P. makarorae, which would make more sense and is in the same section as P. samuiensis. The microscopic features are not a perfect match to the description of P. makarorae, but I have seen wider variations in other collections. I would put more weight on the collection locality and climate than an exact micron match to the microscopy. Then again, it might be something undescribed, but P. samuiensis seems doubtful.
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inski
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Re: Psilocybe samuiensis in New Zealand. [Re: Workman]
#13323929 - 10/12/10 12:47 AM (13 years, 5 months ago) |
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It's definitely not P. makarorae which only fruits from fallen and rotted branches normally of Nothofagus species, this is a dung lover and to me is a perfect match for P. samuiensis although the stipe seemed to be a bit wider than described for that species, I realize that it seems doubtful that it would be P. samuiensis but the macroscopic and microscopic characters are a very good match for that species, I would say it's either that or an undescribed species that is very closely related, definitely belonging in section Mexicanae due to the size and shape of the spores!
Here is a micrograph of spores collected from a confirmed specimen of P. makarorae that I found fruiting deep in the Nothofagus forests of the central north island on fallen and rotting branches, interestingly some large and malformed spores often with two germ pores can be seen from two spored basidia near the centre of the image, scale divisions=1µm.
Other reasons I don't think it could be P. makarorae is that it's the middle of spring now, that species fruits in autumn and is not described as having irregularly branched cheilocystidia which are quite common in this collection, branched pleurocystidia were also viewed but I didn't get a nice image showing them.
Edited by inski (10/12/10 12:57 AM)
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psylosymonreturns
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Re: Psilocybe samuiensis in New Zealand. [Re: inski]
#13324574 - 10/12/10 07:36 AM (13 years, 5 months ago) |
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thats incredible!! i read P. samuiensis is supposed to be very similiar to a liberty cap in appearance with the habitat of a cubensis. I dont know if it is P. samuiensis , but i am rooting for ya! and i would think if anyone knows P. makarorae , its you man, so I trust your judgement. I think its very similiar to the pic of P. samuiensis I am looking at right now. great find~!
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LanLord
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That may be the absolute greatest microscope work I've ever seen.
Excellent!
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seldom seen
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Re: Psilocybe samuiensis in New Zealand. [Re: LanLord]
#13324684 - 10/12/10 08:22 AM (13 years, 5 months ago) |
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Intersting find, beautiful pictures.
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Workman
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Re: Psilocybe samuiensis in New Zealand. [Re: inski]
#13324834 - 10/12/10 09:19 AM (13 years, 5 months ago) |
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I've grown P. samuiensis and several other Mexicanae and none of them have the macroscopic features of your specimen. The stem especially is more reminiscent of temperate species like P. cyanescens and the viscid cap is also unMexicanae-like. I'd bet it is an undescribed native or at least temperate species despite its microscopic similarities to P. samuiensis. It would be interesting to get some genetic analysis done on the various NZ species to sort this all out. It does seem that P. makarorae isn't the best match but the choices within the described species are limited. It is a great find and the microscopy is excellent. Keep up the good work.
-------------------- Research funded by the patrons of The Spore Works Exotic Spore Supply My Instagram Reinvesting 25% of Sales Towards Basic Research and Species Identification
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The Thinker
Registered: 09/01/10
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Re: Psilocybe samuiensis in New Zealand. [Re: Workman]
#13325003 - 10/12/10 10:17 AM (13 years, 5 months ago) |
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That microscopy really is excellent!
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inski
Cortinariologist
Registered: 02/28/06
Posts: 5,767
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Re: Psilocybe samuiensis in New Zealand. [Re: The Thinker]
#13327065 - 10/12/10 06:07 PM (13 years, 5 months ago) |
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Thanks for the nice comments everyone All credit goes to J.T for bringing this find to my attention.
Workman, you mention that you grew P. samuiensis and other species in section Mexicanae and the pileus structure in these specimens is not similar, you say the viscid pileipellis is un-Mexicanae like, I'd just like to point out the published description for P. samuiensis describes the pileus as being viscid with a separable pellicle and striate margin. I think the spores here are identical to your micrographs of P. samuiensis from John Allan's collection.
I really have doubts about this being a native species due to the off season fruiting, it's more likely to be an introduced species but I guess there is a slight chance that it is an undescribed one.
Edited by inski (10/12/10 06:22 PM)
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amilibertine
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Re: Psilocybe samuiensis in New Zealand. [Re: inski]
#13327084 - 10/12/10 06:13 PM (13 years, 5 months ago) |
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Beautiful photos inski, you are always bringing the magic!!
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NeoSporen
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Re: Psilocybe samuiensis in New Zealand. [Re: amilibertine]
#13327205 - 10/12/10 06:40 PM (13 years, 5 months ago) |
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awesome thread and great microscopy and sweet pictures. i'm just sitting here
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sporeRider
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Re: Psilocybe samuiensis in New Zealand. [Re: NeoSporen]
#13327254 - 10/12/10 06:52 PM (13 years, 5 months ago) |
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again inski!!! you really do just have the CRAZIEST potted plants and finds EVER WOW - i will also be following this thread!!! Very Very cool
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Alan Rockefeller
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Re: Psilocybe samuiensis in New Zealand. [Re: inski]
#13327361 - 10/12/10 07:15 PM (13 years, 5 months ago) |
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Great work.
I wish I could post a more meaningful comment but Psilocybe taxonomy is difficult.
I agree that it is likely to be undescribed. I can sequence it for you.
I posted a link to the MO observation on John Allen´s wall on Facebook. Maybe he will have an opinion on these since he described samuiensis somewhat recently.
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inski
Cortinariologist
Registered: 02/28/06
Posts: 5,767
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Thanks!
Unfortunately the four specimens were completely destroyed by insects before I could preserve them, I will be visiting the field where the manure was collected from this weekend and hopefully will find some fresh specimens, I successfully collected six prints from two of the specimens.
It will be interesting to see what J. Allan has to say, he will undoubtedly say it's impossible that it is P. samuiensis but I think it could definitely be a rare fruiting of that species, the macroscopic and microscopic characters to me are a good match, the dung sat in bags under a house where they would have started composting which would have produced heat then the dung was used as an additive to potting soil, this could have accidentally replicated the tropical conditions of Koh Samui.
Here's a good image to compare with my one above. Psilocybe samuiensis
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inski
Cortinariologist
Registered: 02/28/06
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Re: Psilocybe samuiensis in New Zealand. [Re: inski]
#13327575 - 10/12/10 08:02 PM (13 years, 5 months ago) |
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I went through my micrographs again and found this one showing the branched pleurocystidia, they were very rare compared to the branched cheilocystidia which are abundant!
You can't see the whole cell clearly but you can see the branched neck! Branched pleurocystidia aren't in the published description for P. samuiensis but an example can be seen in Workmans study of J.Allan's material here.
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Workman
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Re: Psilocybe samuiensis in New Zealand. [Re: inski]
#13327876 - 10/12/10 09:05 PM (13 years, 5 months ago) |
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You make a good case, but it still doesn't look right to me. I also have my doubts that all of the species in the Section Mexicanae are closely related despite Guzman's classification. Hopefully you can collect more voucher specimens.
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karode13
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Re: Psilocybe samuiensis in New Zealand. [Re: inski]
#13328014 - 10/12/10 09:27 PM (13 years, 5 months ago) |
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Huh! I must get in touch with J.T and congratulate him on his finds!
A dung dwelling Psilocybe in Aotearoa! This is wonderful news indeed!
Great scope work inski.
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