Psilocybe baeocystis

Spore Prints and Preparation, 248 Stropharia (Psilocybe) cubensis (San Isidro), 250 Psilocybe semilanceata (Liberty Caps), 253 Panaeolus subbalteatus (benanosis), 256 Psilocybe cyanescens (Wavy Caps, Blue Halos), 257 Psilocybe baeocystis, 258 Pilocybe stuntzii, 260... 

Psilocybe baeocystis inhabits areas with bark and wood chips and is prevalent throughout the Pacific Northwest. Its psychoactivity is usually weak but in some instances rivals that of the strongest psilocybian mushrooms. 

The edge of the cap of this species generally undulates, resembling a bottle cap or lawn umbrella, and the stem is often characterized by twisting bends. An important identifying characteristic is a brown spot that appears in the center of the cap after it is dried. Psilocybe baeocystis is bound to become more familiar because of increasingly widespread use of its host materials in industrial parks, around homes, etc. 

Baeocystin and norbaeocystin were first identified from Psilocybe baeocystis (Leung and Paul 1968). Baeocystin has since been found in at least twenty-six species of mushrooms and there is one report that it... 

Leung, A. Y. and A. G. Paul. 1968. Baeocystin and nor-baeocystin new analogs of psilocybin from Psilocybe baeocystis. Journal of Pharmaceutical Sciences 57 1667-71. 

In the mid-1960s, Psilocybe cubensis became the species of choice for experiments that made use of submersed fermentation to investigate the biosynthesis of psilocybin from tryptophan and other precursors. We should note in this context that around the same time, this technique was also used to obtain mycelial pellets of the species Psilocybe baeocystis Singer Smith, providing the material for the first-ever isolation of baeocystin from mushroom tissue. 

Psilocybe baeocystis primarily grows in inland areas of the Pacific Northwest, on top of wood debris and on lawns in parks. It is a species that can often be found and collected on school and university campuses. Psilocybe pelliculosa, a mushroom mentioned in previous chapters, is a species also known as "Liberty Cap". Macroscopically, it is extremely difficult to distinguish Ifom Psilocybe semilanceata. Unlike the latter species, however, Psilocybe pelliculosa will grow in forests on wood chips and sawdust. 

Due to publicity generated by the unfortunate accident in 1960, two alkaloids (baeocystin and norbaeocystin) first isolated from Psilocybe baeocystis, at times acquired reputations of being extremely poisonous as well as strongly psychoactive. Both claims, however, are wrong and unsubstantiated. Specifically, both baeocystin and norbaeocystin are present in other mushroom species, such as Psilocybe semilanceata, and at generally higher levels compared to the alkaloid content of Psilocybe baeocystis. 

Leung, A.Y., Smith, A.H. Paul, A.G. (1968). Production of psilocybin in Psilocybe baeocystis saprophytic culture. Journal of Pharmaceutical Sciences, 54, 1576-1579. 

Leung, A.Y. Paul, A.G. (1969). The relationships of carbon and nitrogen nutrition of Psilocybe baeocystis to the production of psilocybin and its analogs. Lloydia, 32, 66-71. 

Isolation Leung, /. of Pharmaceutical Sciences 57 1667,1968 Psilocybe baeocystis) Synthesis Troxler, Helvetica Chimica Acta 42 2073,1959 Brenneisen, Archiv der Pharmazie 321 487,1988 (haeocystine)... 

Isolation Hofmann, Experienlia 14 107,1958 Psilocybemexicand)-, "LfoLSig, Journal of Pharmaceutical Sciences 51 393,1962 (det. in Psilocybe baeocystis ) Synthesis Hofmann, Helvetica ChimicaActa/yv. 1959 SandozLtd., German... 

A-methyltryptamine-C - H, Af,Af-Dimethyltryptamine- C- H, 4-hydroxytrypta-mine- C- H, Psilocin- H, DL-4-OH-Tryptophan- H) into psilocybin in submerged cultures of Psilocybe cubensis [109, 110]. Other reports [111, 112] indicated no effect or influence of tryptophan on the biosynthesis of psilocybin when added in the culture medium during submerged fermentation of Psilocybe cubensis and Psilocybe baeocystis. It can be concluded from the results of most findings that tryptophan has to be modified by decarboxylation, methylation of the amino group, hydroxylation of the 4-position of the indole moiety, and phosphorylation of the 4-hydroxyindole moiety for the production of psilocybin with below sequence [108-110,113],... 

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