|
SandwichMan
Student



Registered: 10/18/20
Posts: 186
Loc: Started Inside/ Now Outside
Last seen: 10 months, 14 days
|
Can you ID these spores
#28108248 - 12/22/22 06:25 AM (1 year, 1 month ago) |
|
|
I’m attempting to determine what type of mushroom spore I have here. It’s a cube. But which one? Can someone tell what type of cube this came from just by viewing it under a microscope?
|
Land Trout
Stranger



Registered: 01/08/18
Posts: 3,076
Last seen: 37 minutes, 51 seconds
|
|
Quote:
SandwichMan said: Can someone tell what type of cube this came from just by viewing it under a microscope?

No. I don’t even think it’s possible to tell which species of mushroom it is based on a picture of the spores. All you can tell is it isn’t an albino, or a rust spore.
|
SandwichMan
Student



Registered: 10/18/20
Posts: 186
Loc: Started Inside/ Now Outside
Last seen: 10 months, 14 days
|
Re: Can you ID these spores [Re: Land Trout]
#28108300 - 12/22/22 07:46 AM (1 year, 1 month ago) |
|
|
I'm ignorant on this. Thanks for the information. I thought mycologists could tell the difference between types of spores.
Edited by SandwichMan (12/22/22 08:07 AM)
|
bridge2far


Registered: 10/09/21
Posts: 382
|
|
Maybe post your question on the Mush ID board. Your images may not lead to a definitive ID. But, it may move you a bit further in the correct direction.
|
Fungus Gnat


Registered: 11/08/22
Posts: 194
Loc: Oregon
Last seen: 57 minutes, 10 seconds
|
|
Quote:
SandwichMan said: I thought mycologists could tell the difference between types of spores.
I might be slightly off, but I think the microscopic features of a mushroom are just part of the set of features used to identify a species (not strain/cultivar/whatever). There probably isn't enough spore variation (especially documented variation) between Psilocybe cubensis spores other than the coloration that LandTrout mentioned.
|
Alan Rockefeller
Mycologist

Registered: 03/10/07
Posts: 48,266
Last seen: 11 hours, 22 minutes
|
Re: Can you ID these spores [Re: Land Trout] 1
#28112922 - 12/26/22 01:57 PM (1 year, 1 month ago) |
|
|
Quote:
Land Trout said: No. I don’t even think it’s possible to tell which species of mushroom it is based on a picture of the spores. All you can tell is it isn’t an albino, or a rust spore.
Occasionally the spores are helpful for determining the species - especially in combination with macroscopic photos. For example Psilocybe ovoideocystidiata and P. cyanescens are easy to tell apart by the spores.
All strains of Psilocybe cubensis have identical spores. Closely related species to P. cubensis, like P. natalensis have identical spores.
Spore morphology is really useful when two mushrooms look similar to the eye, but aren't actually closely related.
To tell apart strains of Psilocybe cubensis, full genome sequencing is the best way. For more information on this see https://f1000research.com/articles/10-961
|
Land Trout
Stranger



Registered: 01/08/18
Posts: 3,076
Last seen: 37 minutes, 51 seconds
|
|
Thanks Alan, think I meant to say what species of psilocybe, but that’s only cause I can’t tell between cubensis or semilanceata or the cyans by the scope alone. Getting more acquainted with it though.
|
Alan Rockefeller
Mycologist

Registered: 03/10/07
Posts: 48,266
Last seen: 11 hours, 22 minutes
|
Re: Can you ID these spores [Re: Land Trout] 3
#28112970 - 12/26/22 02:43 PM (1 year, 1 month ago) |
|
|
Quote:
Land Trout said: Thanks Alan, think I meant to say what species of psilocybe, but that’s only cause I can’t tell between cubensis or semilanceata or the cyans by the scope alone. Getting more acquainted with it though.
Psilocybe semilanceata and P. cyanescens have similar spores, though P. semilanceata can be longer. Measuring 30 and running the numbers could probably separate them. P. cubensis has spores with a different shape - slightly rhomboid, with a lot more internal volume and thicker spore wall.
Psilocybe cyanescens spores:

Psilocybe cubensis spores:
|
thegardener
Knowledge Seeker


Registered: 03/23/14
Posts: 11
Loc: Fukenhot, U.S.A.
Last seen: 10 months, 16 days
|
|
Great pics. What is the magnification on those. I have a cheap 1600X, that I haven't used yet. Will that work for beginners?
|
Alan Rockefeller
Mycologist

Registered: 03/10/07
Posts: 48,266
Last seen: 11 hours, 22 minutes
|
|
Quote:
thegardener said: Great pics. What is the magnification on those. I have a cheap 1600X, that I haven't used yet. Will that work for beginners?
My photos are 1200x
You probably should use 1000x rather than 1600x, the 16x eyepieces will make things larger but also more blurry. It will work fine, though you won't get the kind of quality that high end optics can provide.
|
|