Awesome thanks, just what I needed...
Here's an Update-
A Mushroom Hunter’s Guide to Kak’alakcy and Surrounding Area-
All of the following mushrooms may be found in the Piedmont, foothills and mountains of North Carolina, Piedmont, foothills, and mountains of South Carolina, Southern Virginian Piedmont, Eastern Tennessee, and Northern Georgia; Except Panaeolus cyanescens and Psilocybe cubensis which will be much more abundant, but not limited to, the coast.
~List of Mushrooms described in this Guide-
Amanita muscaria
Panaeolus cyanescens = Coplandia cyanescens
Panaeolus papilionaceus
Panaeolus subbalteatus
Psilocybe caerulipes
Psilocybe cubensis
Psilocybe weilii
~Common Names-
Amanita muscaria- “Mario Mushroom” or “Soma/Haoma”
Panaeolus cyanescens = Coplandia cyanescens ~ “Copes”
Panaeolus papilionaceus ~ “Paps”
Panaeolus subbalteatus ~ “Subbs”
Psilocybe caerulipes ~ “Blue Foot”
Psilocybe cubensis ~ “‘Shroom of the South” or “Cubes”
Psilocybe weilii
~When To Go Out Hunting-
Mushrooms can be found at all times except in the dead of winter.
The best time to usually go mushroom hunting is in the morning or evening after some rain.
High humidity and moisture is key. Some mushrooms grow rapidly within 1-5 days after rain but then some can take up to a weeks to start. If it rains to much, the soil will become soggy and won’t produce any ‘shrooms.
~Where To Look-
Amanita muscaria- Around Evergreens in High Altitude Areas
Panaeolus cyanescens = Coplandia cyanescens- Dung (Coastal Regions)
Panaeolus papilionaceus ~ “Paps”-
Panaeolus subbalteatus- Dung and High Nutrient Grassy Areas.
Psilocybe caerulipes- Hardwood debris; Along rivers and streams; Look near hills and elevation changes.
Psilocybe cubensis- Dung (Coastal Regions)
Psilocybe weilii-
~When to Look-
Amanita muscaria-
Panaeolus cyanescens = Coplandia cyanescens-
Panaeolus papilionaceus-
Panaeolus subbalteatus- All year, unless the temperature is near freezing (33*F)
Psilocybe caerulipes- Fall
Psilocybe cubensis- Spring and late summer
Psilocybe weilii-
~A Few Simple Principals-
Always be 100% sure of a specimens exact identity before ingesting it.
Do not collect any fungi you don't intend to use.
Respect and protect other species, including poisonous ones.
Do not any collect rare species. As well as being endangered, rare species are often hard to identify.
Record accurately the localities and habitat data of any valuable fungi.
Do not collect ''buttons'' (mushrooms that have not expanded) or small mushrooms; They are hard to identify, Allowing them to expand will also let them reproduce and also result in a larger 'shroom.
Collect only enough mushrooms for personal use; Don’t excessively profit from nature’s gifts, and NEVER reveal the location of your secret ‘shroom patch.
"All mushrooms are edible; but some only once." ~Croatian proverb
~Know What You Don’t Want-
If someone is looking for active ‘shrooms they can knock out the majority of the deadly poisonous mushrooms by following a few simple rules.
One, You should be looking for active ‘shrooms with gills (Agaricales). Not mushrooms with pores (Boletes). The active mushrooms you are looking for should have Black (Panaeolus & Copelandia spp.) or chocolate-brown to purple-brown spores and spore prints (Psilocybes).
Forget the minor species of Gymnopilus, Conocybe, Inocybes and those species which have white, orange, cinnamon, or rust colored gills and spore prints. Forget about those species. Note- Expert mycologist may attempt to hunt Gymnopilus species, they are known to occur in the described area.
Do not pick any orange, cinnamon or rust colored mushrooms. The three deadly species of Galerina and one species of Concoybe (Conocybe filaris) have orange gills.
And avoid any white gilled mushrooms. That would include all of the deadly Amanita mushrooms such as Amanita Phalloides, Amanita verna, etc. Note- You may harvest wild Amanita muscaria if your extremely careful, make sure it has a bright red or orange cap, do not pick amanitas with lighter colored caps.
Some mushrooms like Mycenas and others bruise blue, many of them are poisonous, blueing is not always due to the presence of psilocybin, so make sure you know your species.
Boletes, even bluing ones, should never be eaten. They have sponge like pores on the underside of the cap, instead of gills like those of active mushrooms.
Galerinas, and Conocybe filaris, which are extremely poisonous mushrooms, are commonly found in mulched gardens, and have been observed sharing the same habitat as some species of actives. They also may resemble some active species like those in the genus Gymnopilus and Psilocybe. Always make a spore print...Galerinas and Conocybes have orange-red-brown spore prints and gills, unlike active mushrooms with purple-black or black spores and gills.
Another example of misidentification involves Chlorophyllum molybdites, a species commonly referred to as "green gills" or "Morgan’s" Lepiota.. Chlorophyllum molybdites is usually mistaken for Psilocybe cubensis in the South and has a green spore print completely unlike Psilocybe cubensis’s purple-black spores.
~Know your Poisonous Species-
Agaricus xanthodermis
Amanita spp.
Boletus satanas
Chlorophyllum molybdites
Conocybe coprophila
Conocybe filaris
Cortinarius rubellus
Galerina marginata=Galerina autumnalis=Galerina venenata
Galerina pseudomycenopsis
Galerina badipes
Hebeloma insigne
Hypholoma fasciculare
Inocybe sororia
Lactarius uvidus
Lepiota brunneoincarnata
Lepiota helveola
Lepiota josserandii
Lepiota lutea
Russula emetica
Stropharia aeruginosa
And many, many, more!
~How to identify a Mushroom-
Note the Cap
Note the Gills
Note the Stalk
Note any Veils
Note it’s Habitat
Note the Spores~ Make a Spore Print- Remove the stem from the cap. Place the cap on a piece of white paper; Black if the spores are white, like with Amanita spp. Allow it to sit 3-24 hours. When you pick up the cap you’ll have a spore print. Note the color, etc.
Take very descriptive notes while the mushroom is fresh; dried mushrooms look completely different from fresh ones.
Consult guides, the internet, books and pictures until you’re 100% sure before ingesting your specimen.
Amanita muscaria-
Note the Cap-Bright red or orange with white warts.
Note the Gills or Tubes or Teeth-white gills
Note the Stalk-
Note the Veils-
Note it’s Habitat-
Note the Spores-
“Look-a-Likes”- Other amanita species, especially if the cap is not bright red or orange
Comments- You may harvest wild Amanita muscaria if your extremely careful, make sure it has a bright red or orange cap, do not pick amanitas with lighter colored caps. Amanita Muscaria does not contain psilocybin, but is known to be psychoactive if properly prepared, research this mushroom more before using it.
Panaeolus cyanescens = Coplandia cyanescens ~ “Copes”
Note the Cap-
Note the Gills or Tubes or Teeth-
Note the Stalk -
Note the Veils-
Note it’s Habitat-On dung and in pasture lands.
Note the Spores-
“Look-a-Likes”-Psilocybe caerulipes
Comments- Most likely to be found towards the coast, especially in the gulf coast area.
Panaeolus papilionaceus ~ “Paps”
Note the Cap-
Note the Gills or Tubes or Teeth- Young gills are grey, with age turn black.
Note the Stalk-
Note the Veils-
Note it’s Habitat-
Note the Spores-
“Look-a-Likes”- Other Panaeolus species.
Comments- May resemble Panaeolus sphinctrinus, Panaeolus campanulatus or many other panaeolus species, all of which are mildly psychoactive, with papilionaceus being the strongest.
Panaeolus subbalteatus ~ “Subbs”
Note the Cap-
Note the Gills or Tubes or Teeth- Young gills are grey, with age turn black.
Note the Stalk-
Note the Veils-
Note it’s Habitat- High nutrient grassy areas and pastures lands.
Note the Spores- Jet-Black
“Look-a-Likes”-Panaeolina Foenisecii and other Panaeolus species.
Comments- This is one of the most common psychoactive mushrooms, and grows everywhere. Subbs occasionally bruise blue.
Psilocybe caerulipes ~ “Blue Foot”
Note the Cap-
Note the Gills or Tubes or Teeth-
Note the Stalk (Stipe)-
Note the Veils-
Note it’s Habitat-
Note the Spores-
“Look-a-Likes”-Psilocybe weilii, Psilocybe cyanescens
Comments-
Psilocybe cubensis
Note the Cap-
Note the Gills or Tubes or Teeth-
Note the Stalk (Stipe)-
Note the Veils-
Note it’s Habitat- On dung and in pasture lands.
Note the Spores-
“Look-a-Likes”-
Comments-Most likely to be found towards the coast, especially further south.
Psilocybe weilii
Note the Cap-
Note the Gills or Tubes or Teeth-
Note the Stalk (Stipe)-
Note the Veils-
Note it’s Habitat- Said to like red clay.
Note the Spores-
“Look-a-Likes”- Psilocybe caerulipes
Comments- Reportedly only found in northern Geogia, but its range is most likely larger.
.
~Common Large Psilocybe
Psilocybe Cubensis (Native to N.C.)( Native to S.C.)
Description Large, fleshy, yellowish cap with brown gills and a persistent ring on stalk; bruising blue; on cow manure.
Cap 5/8" - 3 1/2" (1.5-9 cm) wide; conical or bell-shaped, becoming convex to flat with central knob; sticky, hairless; white with brownish-yellow center, becoming entirely brownish-yellow, bruising and aging bluish.
Gills attached, close, narrow; gray, becoming deep violet-gray, then black; edges whitish.
Stalk 1 3/8" - 6" (3.5-15 cm) long, 1/8" - 5/8" (0.3-1.5 cm) thick, becoming enlarged below; smooth, grooved at top; white, bruising blue.
Veil partial veil membranous; leaving persistent white ring (soon blackish from falling spores) on upper stalk.
Spores 11.5-17 X 8-11.5 microns; oval to elliptical, smooth, thick-walled, blunt, with distinct pore at tip. Spore print purple-brown.
Edibility Hallucinogenic.
Habitat On cow and horse dung in pastures.
~Panaeolus cyanescens = Coplandia cyanescens“Blue Meanies”- ( Native to Geo.)- after seeing plenty of copes and seeing their fakes, then they are not that hard to identify from a distance. the caps are pretty, best when you see that orangish tint on the caps. sometimes caps are already blue when you find them, especially in the ones with the crackled caps. stems show the bluing easily too. these things are almost always found growing directly from relatively recent cow dung. it is time consumeing to sit down and identify each one of them one by one and clean them up cause they are so small, and your bag fills up quickly when they are abundant. but it is worth it...copelandias make a very good tea!
Look-a-likes- Panaeolus spp.
Every blue meanie stains a very noticeable blue, hence the name Blue Meanies. The cap and also the stem will show signs of bluing within 1-10 minutes of picking (sometimes longer), or they may have already begun to blue before you got to them. Several hours after picking them, they may (if not handled with extreme care) turn black in color. This is ok, they still contain much of the psychoactive chemicals inside of them, but it is best to be gentle when handling and drying these mushrooms.
The second thing to do when identifying a cope, is to take a spore print. The color of a Copelandia's spore print is Jet Black.
They are almost always found growing directly from solid 1-to-2 month old aged chunks of manure. Rarely are they found growing from just manure enriched soil..
They grow in rather large groupings on each single cow patty. Anywhere from 1 to 50 on a single cow pie is not uncommon. Though, there have been reports of up to 200+ copes fruiting from single piles of manure.
~Psilocybe caerulipes (Native to N.C.)( Native to S.C.)
Description Brownish, knobbed cap, fading to yellow, with brown gills; whitish stalk bluish at base; on decayed wood.
Cap 3/8" - 1 3/8" (1-3.5 cm) wide; conical to convex with incurved margin, becoming flat or broadly knobbed; sticky, becoming dry, smooth; watery-cinnamon to yellowish; bruising greenish or bluish, sometimes slowly.
Gills attached, close to crowded, narrow; brownish to rust-cinnamon.
Stalk 1 1/4" - 2 3/8" (3-6 cm) long, 1/16" - 1/8" (1.5-3 mm) thick, enlarging to base; whitish, staining greenish-blue.
Veil partial veil evanescent.
Spores 7-10 X 4-5.5 microns, (but 10-12 X 5.7 microns from 2-spored basidia); elliptical, smooth, with pore at tip. Spore print dark purple-brown.
Edibility Hallucinogenic.
Season August-October.
Habitat Single or in small clusters, on deciduous wood and wood mulch, especially birch and maple.
Range Maine to North Carolina, west to Michigan.
Comments Often overlooked or ignored as just another LBM, little brown mushroom, this hallucinogenic species turns blue on handling, usually after several minutes.
If any of this info is incorrect or you have anything to add please comment, I realize this is kind of a repeat of my other thread, sorry. If anybody wants me to delete one, jsut let me know!
--------------------
"We are the one's we have been waiting for"-Hopi proverb
Edited by Teotzlcoatl (07/27/07 02:58 AM)
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