Conocybe cyanopus

Other North American fungi which have recently been shown to contain psilocybin and psilocin are Psilocybe cyanescens andP. baeocystis Singer and Smith (83b, 83c) psilocybin also occurs in Conocybe cyanopus (83b). Curiously, psilocin appears to be present in much larger amounts than psilocybin in P. baeocystis (83c). 

Conocybe cyanopus Tiny Mushrooms of Remarkable Potency 3.7Pluteussalicinus A Little-known Wood-Inhabiting Species... 

CONOCYBE CYANOPUS - TINY MUSHROOMS REMARKABLE POTENCY... 

The following is an adequate description of Conocybe cyanopus, because its bluish discoloration is a sufficiently unique attribute to allow differentiation of this species from other European Conocybe species. 

Even though the mushroom is very rare, I was able to include one picture of Conocybe cyanopus in this book (see Figure 36, p. 57). 1 also had the good fortune to obtain a dried Conocybe cyanopus sample for chemical analysis (see Table 9, p. 56). 

Psilocybin was discovered for the first time in a sample of fruiting bodies of the species Conocybe cyanopus which had been collected on September 4, 1961 in Seattle, WA. No psilocin... 

In summary, it is reasonable to assume that due to its small size and extreme rarity, Conocybe cyanopus is a species that is not a significant contributor to intoxications in Europe, nor is it likely to gain such prominence in the future. My own analyses of other, nonbluing Conocybe species, such as Conocybe tenera (Schaeff. iFr.) Fayod and Conocybe lactea (Lge) Metrod revealed the presence of physiologically inactive ingredients only. 

Selected Test Results on the Alkaloid Content of Conocybe cyanopus (% of Dry Weight)... 

Initially, he believed that his nutrient substrates had been contaminated by molds, because Panaeolus subbalteatus is a species that almost never spontaneously turns bluish-green. Figure 47 shows a distinct sclerotia formation of the species Psilocybe semilanceata. The formation of these permanent structures with Conocybe cyanopus has been described in a previous chapter (see Figure 35, p. 57). 

Psilocybin (4-phosphoryloxy-iV,A -dimethyltryptamine) (9.31) and the parent alcohol, psilocin, were first isolated from the Mexican mushroom Psilocybe mexicana by Hofmann in 1959. Since then these hallucinogenic metabolites have been reported in more than 30 species of this genus and its relatives. The highest concentration (over 0.5% dry weight) of psilocybin has been detected in Conocybe cyanopus and Psilocybe semilanceata. The hallucinogenic properties of these organisms have led to their colloquial name as magic mushrooms . P. semilanceata, which is quite widespread in Europe, is sometimes known as the Liberty Cap. A biosynthetic sequence from tryptophan to psilocybin has been established. 

Christiansen et al. developed an HPLC method of screening Norwegian mushrooms for the presence of psilocin and psilocybin. The alkaloids were extracted from powdered dried mushrooms with methanol which contained 10% IN ammonium nitrate (Christiansen et al. 1981). The recovery of psilocybin was at least 98%, whereas the recovery of psilocin was not reported. The analytes were separated on an unmodified silica column using an alkaline eluent (Christiansen and Rasmussen 1983). After separation, the effluent was split to UV and FL detectors, and an EC detector was connected downstream of the UV detector. Psilocybin was identified and determined by both UV and FL detection. EC was optimized for psilocin due to its low concentration in the mushroom. The detection limit of psilocin by EC was 100 and 250 times lower than by UV and FL, respectively. Psilocybin gave only a small response by EC, since it is optimally oxidized at a higher potential. By this method, it was found that Conocybe cyanopus and Pluteus salicinus also contained psilocin and psilocybin (Christiansen et al. 1984). 

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