Shrooms.

[nme]

Well I was going to put this in survival for 'survival food found in nature', but it doesn't quite fit..
Since S25 let the weed thread slip, I presume this topic would also be ok, being somewhat less illicit.
I intend on writing up a foraging guide sometime soon and maybe submit it as a document, but for now a few pics will have to do.

Well, the weather has been rather overcast and damp for the last few days, and with it being mid October I decided to go on a magic mushroom hunt.
First field I tried yielded nothing but an odd see-through umbrella type Mushroom that had a purple tinge. Well after studying and memorising a book on identifying Psilocybe mushrooms I concluded that this was not a mushroom worth taking.. Second field I had spied out as a likely spot a few days earlier. Cows had been kept in the field and as far as I have known, the soil in it hadn't been disturbed for over 10 years. (A definite plus). Well after a few minutes looking I found my first Psilocybe Semilanceata! (The most common of Psilocybes in the UK+IRE)
From there on they came thick and fast.

Tips:
-If you find one, look around the same area for more. They usually grow in small scattered troops with multiple mushrooms growing of the same root network of mycelium.

-When you pick them, don't ever just pull them out. Some people advise twisting them, but in my opinion snipping with a small blade or finger nail is definitely the best option. Get as close to the bottom of the stem as possible and snip. This prevents damage to the root network, which could at worst kill the root network, but otherwise slows down it's growth. Not something you'd like. Also, a good habit to get into is to give the mushroom a light tap or flick to release a few more spores before you pick it. At least it'll have one last shot at doing what it's meant to do.

-Don't pick all the small baby mushrooms as they'll be a lot bigger tomorrow.

-As previously mentioned, when looking for a site, look for an old field (10years or more without disturbance to the soil, such as cultivation) (I find usually has thick mossy yellow grass with patches of green) that has had cows or some other form of animal in it. Their dung fertilizes the soil; Something P.Semilanceata loves. Although they never grow directly in it thank god.

-Spore prints are often useful to determine whether or not you have a psychoactive mushrooms. Most, including P.Sem give a black/brown/purple print. It is done by placing a mushroom cap on a piece of paper (stem removed), upright, with a glass/cup/bowl/shot-glass placed over it to prevent draughts disturbing it. After 24hrs the cap is removed and the color is observed.

-It's often heard that most Psylocybes stain blue. This is due to the oxidation of the psychoactive chemicals. It is sometimes noticed at the base of the stem where it connects to the white roots. It can also sometimes be seen 10 mins after picking the mushroom at any bruises or cuts inflicted during picking.

-When collecting mushrooms, make sure the air can get to them when you're carrying them around. Otherwise you'll end up with a big wet mush. A shallow wicker basket is typically used, but a piece of paper folded to have walls will do fine. No deep plastic bags for long periods of time. In general shallow and wide is your best bet. Deep will also result in you squashing all the ones at the bottom.

-A tolerance to mushrooms will develop quickly enough. The bodies equilibrium returning to it's normal state after about 10days. If one wanted to attain the same effects from a dose of mushroom, they would have to take one and a half time the amount.


Description of Psilocybe Semilanceata:

Cap:

Up to one inch in dia. baby's being a small as a few mm's. Usually as tall as wide. If not taller than wide (in most cases) NO PANCAKE TITS!!!
Shape: Hemispherical, parabolic to conical with a distinct nipple on top. (Must have)
Margin (Bottom rim): Usually curved in.
Color: Creamy tan when dry, yellow/brown when wet, often with an olive tinge. Hygrophanous.
Thin black lines can usually be seen around the margin where the gills show through the flesh (Most visible in older mushrooms).

Stem:
Size: 1-4inches long and up to 4mm thick.
Color: White/cream. Lighter than the cap. As mention elsewhere, there is sometimes a slight bluing at the base where it connects to the mycelium.
Shape: Wavy but equal, and often a slight flare towards the base.
Texture: Smooth, pliable, tough. No remnants of the partial veil. (No rings around it).

Gills:
Color: The very edges are white, the faces cream when young or dark brown black/purple with age.
They're crowded and vary in the manner with which they're attached (Adnate or adnexed)

Habitat: I've already described how cattle and the age of a field can benifit, but other areas to find them are in: Parks, heaths, meadows, roadsides, and lawns or football pitches if watered throughout summer. Also look for a south facing field or area that gets a lot of sun. The warmth through the summer will help mycelium growth. Provided they don't dry out. Natural watering mechanisms are good too. Such as low-lying ground, or ground near a river. (These all benifit P.Sem growth but arn't necessary. For e.g. The field I found to have prolific growth hadn't a water source for at least a couple of hundred meters downhill.)
Ok, forgot to add a bit about the grass.. yers.. If looking in fields the grass should NOT be sparse/thin and brittle. and yes that makes sense. No 'crunchy grass'. You'll usually find pancake tit mushrooms there that have a slight purple tinge (Just a useless piece of info. They have no psychoactive properties) You want mossy, patchy grass (Odd patches of green here and there). They'll be easier to find if cows have grazed on it recently.

Fruiting: As the 'mushroom cap' is actually just the fruiting head of the mushroom network, its only purpose is to distribute spores. Mushrooms don't photosynthesize and so, strong light will burn them up and shrivel them out of view. That is why morning forays are good or when the sky is clouded over. Good moisture will also help prevent the mushroom drying out, so a nice mist or fog earlier in the day is beneficial.
Most of P.Sem's fruiting heads become apparent between August and Mi-January, Although September to November is your best bet.


Well, I went on two forays today. After the first I had collected 95. Got bored and left. Regaining enthusiasm that evening, with the sun still covered in cloud (The sun burned them away. that's why its suggested to search in the morning, and after a light rain for moisture) I went to the same spot and found (ahem. I should say 'got' there were hundreds there I didn't get around to picking) over sixty more. Alas I would have gotten more but a bull chased me out of the field. Here's a few pics I snapped today.

P.Sem Collected on my first foray:
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v623/nme/1stforay.jpg
The same strung on fishing gut to dry (Drying isn't necessary and lowers potency, but for storage it's a must.):
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v6...aystrungup.jpg
Side-view..
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v6...upsideview.jpg
Second trip.
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v623/nme/2ndforay.jpg
Same again..
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v6...ystrungup2.jpg
Close-up of a few of the caps. Mutations are common enough, just make sure most mushrooms match.
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v623/nme/Capstudy.jpg
=
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v6...thoutflash.jpg

Just a few pics of P.Sem in its natural enviroment:
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v6...nthefield1.jpg
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v6...nthefield2.jpg
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v6...nthefield3.jpg
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v6...nthefield4.jpg
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v6...nthefield5.jpg
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v6...nthefield6.jpg


Dosage: P.Sem the least variable of psychoactive mushroom and thus is commonly used to compare other psychoactive mushrooms against. It contains two drugs: Psylocybin and psylocin. P.Sem contains between .1% and .4% Psilocybin by weight of dried mushroom, and up to .2% Psilocin. Psilocin is about 2x as strong as Psilocybin. (Psilocybin is eventually converted into psilocin when digested.) A regular to strong dosage contains between 20 large P.Sem and 30 small P.Sem (Approx 3-12mg of psilocybin. Average: 6mg. An effective dose). P.Sem loses around 30% of its potency when dried, so if you're out one morning, picking with friends with the intention to use them later, you may aswell just eat as you pick, keeping a count of how many you've eaten of course. Effects are first felt after 20minutes (Excluding primary elation felt when all drugs are first ingested) and get stronger and stronger for about 3hours. Auditory and visual flickers/disturbances are commonly noticed, especially when one closes their eyes. Many experience full on hallucinations. It usually lasts between 6-9 hours before normality is restored..

All newly added stuff in bold

[headcase]

Good guide. One thing I will point out;

Originally Posted by nme

-It's often heard that most Psylocybes stain blue. This is due to the oxidation of the psychoactive chemicals. It is sometimes noticed at the base of the stem where it connects to the white roots. It can also sometimes be seen 10 mins after picking the mushroom at any bruises or cuts inflicted during picking.

This isn't quite true. The blue stain often has nothing to do with psychoactivity, and a lot of useless amd poisonous mushrooms also stain blue.

More to the point though, when were you last out looking? I meant to go in September but the forst frost was like the week before I went out and I figured that destroyed them. Then again, it's been warm-ish for a while now, maybe they grew back? It's been a funny year weather-wise so I don't know what to believe...

[nme]

Indeed, same here weather-wise. Had a very late summer..

Hrmm Sure I read somewhere that it was the Oxidation of Psilocin that turned blue.. Well at least most psilocybes have this common characteristic...

Last looking; Yesterday! lol. Wrote that last night in one sitting. Twasn't composed over a period of time as such
I'm not sure about the effects of frost. Dew isn't a problem. In fact they love the moisture. Hrmm. I'd imagine a week would be plenty of time for a small mushroom like this to grow again. But if the frost permeated the soil it could slow things down. The last few days its been at a steady 10-15degrees with an overclouded sky and a lost of humid air/mist/fog. Ideal conditions really. Frost probably won't penetrate thick forests and such, so maybe a hunt for Amanita Muscaria or another forest dwelling shroom might be a good idea. Say, be careful about the Amanita Pantherina. It's often listed as a psychoactive shroom and kind of is, but others ist it as being poisonous due to how easy it can often be to overdose on it. It's potency varies MASSIVELY, and I'd recommend doing a build-up test on every individual mushroom until a good dosage can be established. (Bearing in mind that a tolerance can build up quickly.)

[headcase]

Nah, Muscaria's have some near-identical relatives that are highly poisonous, and I didn't even know they grew in Ireland. Combine those two facts and I clearly shouldn't be going picking it. Although I will be going soon now...

I read about the blue-stain thing too, but it was in a forums and the following posts debunked the claim. I suppose you could call it a "rule of thumb", but even that gives it more certainty then it's due. Keep it in mind I suppose, but that should be dead-last on your mushroom checklist.

[nme]

Hu.. Now you say it, I've also never heard of it growing here. Although I know Amanita muscaria does. (So I would think it does also)
I know Muscaria can most often be found in the Baltic region though.

Ya I should write up a detailed description of 'the Destroying Angel' and the 'Death-cap' in all stages of it's growth. A definite must study for people wanting to go mushroom picking. over %95 of all fungi related illnesses and pretty much all deaths are related to these two evil ones.. Half a cap can kill you if not treated immediately. Both of these are also Amanita's. Death cap being called 'Amanita Phalloides' and the Destroying Angel called 'Amanita virosa' (Although the name changes on different continents)

Ill write up a genus tree if you like listing all the most common psilocybes found in britain..

Edit: Ah Just read you first line with a new light. Ya they're related, but Amanita Muscaria is pretty damn hard to confuse with another type... The more dangerous Amanita's arn't bright red/orange.. If Muscaria's are growing in an area, they'll be easy enough to find as they stick out like a sore thumb.
Heh heh, Look just like SuperMario's mushroom.. Oddity.. A plumber running around high on mushys... On a more serious note, the mushrooms in Mario64 are only baby Muscaria's. When they mature, the cap turns hemispherical, umbrella-like, then eventually up-curved/inverted. Bear in mind the 'white spots' (remnants on veil) can often be washed off due to heavy rain..

[trash can man]

Are those called gold tops, they look very similar to the gold tops we get in oz except I have seen gold tops as big as a small plate,(about 15cm in diameter).
Both times I had the most intense hallucinations I have ever had, bad scary shit.
I'll never go there again.