Plant Profile

Psilocybin mushrooms

Compiled by the Omnia Sana editorial team from the plant database ·Last updated August 15, 2026

Psilocybe cubensis

Family: Hymenogastraceae · Parts used: Mycelium, Whole Plant · Also known as: Psilocybin mushroom, magic mushroom, golden teacher

Common names in 8 European languages →

The complete database record: 3 documented constituents, 2 pharmacological actions, 2 traditional / indicated uses, with 21 cited sources.

Botanical Description

Saprotrophic fungus (not a true plant, Hymenogastraceae) with a cap 2-8 cm across, convex to bell-shaped, golden-brown to caramel with a paler margin, fading as it dries. The whitish to yellowish stem often bears a thin ring (annulus) that darkens purple-black from falling spores; gills are grey to dark purple-brown, crowded and adnate. The mycelium colonises dung and dung-enriched, nutrient-rich soil. All parts stain blue-green when bruised or handled, from oxidation of psilocin.^[10]

Height: Cap 2-8 cm across; stem several cm tall

Habit: Saprotrophic, dung-loving fungus

Leaves: Not applicable (fungus)

Flowers: Not applicable (fungus); reproduces by spores

Stem: Whitish to yellowish, often with a thin ring (annulus) that darkens with spores

Root: Mycelium colonising dung and dung-enriched soil

Fruit: Grey to dark purple-brown gills; bruises blue-green when handled

Flowering Period: Fruiting bodies appear in warm, humid weather, often following rain

Habitat & Distribution

Most common in subtropical and tropical regions of the Americas (and increasingly recorded elsewhere), growing directly on the dung of grazing livestock - particularly cattle - and on dung-enriched pasture soil in warm, humid climates.^[9]

Harvesting

Fruiting bodies are picked by hand as caps expand, typically in warm, humid weather following rain; cultivated production uses sterilised grain or dung-based substrate inoculated with mycelium under controlled humidity and temperature.^[10]

Parts: Fruiting body (mycelium/whole mushroom)

Season: Warm, humid weather, often following rain

Key Constituents

Psilocybin^{[1, 3]}

The principal prodrug alkaloid, an indole (tryptamine) compound dephosphorylated to psilocin in the body; the primary active constituent driving the psychoactive and clinically studied antidepressant/anxiolytic effects.

Psilocin^{[1, 2]}

The active metabolite of psilocybin, a serotonin (5-HT2A) receptor agonist directly responsible for the psychoactive effect.

Baeocystin and norbaeocystin (minor tryptamine alkaloids)^[6]

Minor related tryptamines present alongside psilocybin/psilocin at lower concentrations, of uncertain individual contribution.

Pharmacological Actions

Antidepressant / mood support^{[5, 11, 12, 13, 14, 16, 17]}

Psilocybin-assisted therapy for depression (clinical trials)

Anxiolytic / calming^{[5, 7, 17]}

Reduces anxiety; preclinical fear-memory extinction

Traditional & Indicated Uses

Low mood / depression^{[5, 11, 12, 13, 14, 16, 17]}Strong · 10/10

Psilocybin-assisted therapy reduced depression in clinical trials

Evidence: 10

Label: Low mood / depression

more plants for low mood / depression →detailed sources →

Anxiety^{[5, 7, 17]}Moderate · 5/10

Reduced anxiety in clinical and preclinical studies

Evidence: 5

Label: Anxiety

more plants for anxiety →detailed sources →

Traditional Use & History

Psilocybe mushrooms have a documented history of ceremonial and shamanic use in Mesoamerican indigenous traditions, later popularised globally from the mid-20th century onward. Contemporary clinical research on purified psilocybin, the principal active compound, supports use under professional supervision in psilocybin-assisted therapy for depression and anxiety, distinct from unsupervised recreational use.^[9]

Preparations

Dried whole mushroom^{[3, 6]}

The traditional and most common form; drying concentrates and stabilises psilocybin/psilocin content.

Purified psilocybin (clinical)^{[1, 2]}

The standardised, purified compound used in modern clinical trials, administered under professional supervision.

Dosage

Purified psilocybin (clinical)^{[1, 2, 4]}

Clinical trials of psilocybin-assisted therapy have used purified, weight-calibrated doses (commonly in the range of 20-25 mg psilocybin) administered once or twice under professional supervision in a controlled clinical setting - fundamentally different from unsupervised recreational dosing. Psilocybin is illegal in most jurisdictions outside approved clinical/research settings and should never be used outside professional supervision. Educational reference only, not a prescription or an endorsement of unsupervised use.

Safety, Cautions & Contraindications

Safety note^{[16, 17]}Caution

Psilocybin is physiologically non-toxic and non-addictive in clinical contexts. Psychological risks include anxiety, paranoia, and triggering of latent psychiatric conditions (contraindicated in personal or family history of psychosis or schizophrenia). Use only in appropriate clinical/ceremonial settings with trained supervision. Illegal in most jurisdictions. Avoid mixing with lithium (seizure risk).

Safety note^{[16, 17, 18]}Info

Duke (2002) does not include a dedicated entry for psilocybin mushrooms (Psilocybe cubensis) in the Handbook of Medicinal Herbs, Second Edition.

Dangerous Lookalikes

Galerina Marginata^{[19, 20, 21]}Fatal

Confused Part: The whole small brown mushroom - cap, ringed stem and gills - especially wood-growing collections. Deadly Galerina grows on the same rotting wood and wood chips as wood-loving Psilocybe.

Confusion Context: Deadly Galerina (funeral bell) is the amatoxin mushroom most often mistaken for hallucinogenic Psilocybe and eaten by accident; the two are small brown ringed mushrooms that grow side by side on rotting wood and bark mulch. Galerina carries the same liver-destroying amatoxins as the death cap - by weight sometimes higher - and poisoning is deceptively delayed (6 to 24 hours), with a false recovery before catastrophic liver failure. Both have a ring on the stem and grow on wood, so the ring and the substrate do NOT tell them apart.

Distinguishing Features: Spore-print colour is the only reliable test, and it needs a print taken at home: deadly Galerina drops a RUSTY, cinnamon-brown print; Psilocybe drops a dark purple-brown to blackish-violet print. A rusty-brown print means it is NOT a Psilocybe - do not eat it., Psilocybe flesh usually bruises blue-green where handled; deadly Galerina does not. This is only a supporting hint - bluing can be faint or absent and must NEVER override a wrong spore print.

Key Test: There is no safe field mark. Take a spore print (gills down on white paper or foil, covered, several hours): a rusty or cinnamon-brown print = deadly Galerina or another amatoxin mushroom - do not eat it. Only a dark purple-brown to violet-black print is consistent with Psilocybe. Do not forage small brown wood-growing mushrooms without an expert mycologist and a spore print - a single wrong cap can cause fatal liver failure.

Reviewed By: Omnia Sana (owner-authorized)

Reviewed Date: 2026-07-06

Harvest Readiness

^[15]

Part: fruiting-body

Signals: Harvest as the partial veil under the cap tears (ragged and still hanging), before it fully detaches and the gills blacken with dropping spores - an intact veil means not ready.

Basis: traditional

Source Quote: Intact = not ready. Torn but still hanging in ragged fragments = harvest window open.

Species Confirmed: 1

Notes: Azarius (REF-3321) for Psilocybe cubensis; the partial veil under the cap is the readiness signal - harvest as it tears, before it detaches and spores drop. Single source -> provisional. SAFETY: the deadly Galerina marginata (autumn skullcap) can resemble small brown Psilocybe - confirm identity; see Dangerous Lookalikes.

External Identifiers

GBIF ›Wikidata ›

References & Sources

Thaoboonruang, N., Lohitnavy, M. and Lohitnavy, O (2025) 'Pharmacokinetics of Psilocybin, a Tryptamine Alkaloid in Magic Mushroom (Psilocybe cubensis): A Systematic Review', Journal of Psychoactive Drugs, 57(4), pp. 386-398. doi:10.1080/02791072.2024.2399128 Meta-analysis / review
https://doi.org/10.1080/02791072.2024.2399128
Thaoboonruang, N., Lohitnavy, O., Ya, K. and Lohitnavy, M (2025) 'Development of a PBPK model of psilocybin/psilocin from Psilocybe cubensis (magic mushroom) in mice, rats, and humans', Scientific Reports, 15(1), pp. 13721. doi:10.1038/s41598-025-98202-w Preclinical
https://doi.org/10.1038/s41598-025-98202-w
Goff, R., Smith, M., Islam, S., Sisley, S. and others (2023) 'Determination of psilocybin and psilocin content in multiple Psilocybe cubensis mushroom strains using liquid chromatography - tandem mass spectrometry', Analytica Chimica Acta, 1288, pp. 342161. doi:10.1016/j.aca.2023.342161 Preclinical
https://doi.org/10.1016/j.aca.2023.342161
Cavanna, F., Muller, S., de la Fuente, L.A., Zamberlan, F. and others (2022) 'Microdosing with psilocybin mushrooms: a double-blind placebo-controlled study', Translational Psychiatry, 12(1), pp. 307. doi:10.1038/s41398-022-02039-0 Randomized trial
https://doi.org/10.1038/s41398-022-02039-0
Hernandez-Leon, A., Escamilla-Orozco, R.I., Tabal-Robles, A.R., Martinez-Vargas, D. and others (2024) 'Antidepressant- and anxiolytic-like activities and acute toxicity evaluation of the Psilocybe cubensis mushroom in experimental models in mice', Journal of Ethnopharmacology, 320, pp. 117415. doi:10.1016/j.jep.2023.117415 Preclinical
https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jep.2023.117415
Gotvaldova, K., Hajkova, K., Borovicka, J., Jurok, R. and others (2021) 'Stability of psilocybin and its four analogs in the biomass of the psychotropic mushroom Psilocybe cubensis', Drug Testing and Analysis, 13(2), pp. 439-446. doi:10.1002/dta.2950 Preclinical
https://doi.org/10.1002/dta.2950
Ghofrani-Jahromi, Z., Nouri-Darehno, S., Rahimi-Danesh, M., Talaee, N. and others (2024) 'Psilocybe cubensis extract potently prevents fear memory recall and freezing behavior in short- but not long-term in a rat model of posttraumatic stress disorder', Behavioral Neuroscience, 138(2), pp. 73-84. doi:10.1037/bne0000579 Preclinical
https://doi.org/10.1037/bne0000579
Nkadimeng, S.M., Steinmann, C.M.L. and Eloff, J.N (2020) 'Effects and safety of Psilocybe cubensis and Panaeolus cyanescens magic mushroom extracts on endothelin-1-induced hypertrophy and cell injury in cardiomyocytes', Scientific Reports, 10(1), pp. 22314. doi:10.1038/s41598-020-79328-5 Preclinical
https://doi.org/10.1038/s41598-020-79328-5
Badham, E.R (1984) 'Ethnobotany of psilocybin mushrooms, especially Psilocybe cubensis', Journal of Ethnopharmacology, 10(2), pp. 249-254. doi:10.1016/0378-8741(84)90007-2 Meta-analysis / review
https://doi.org/10.1016/0378-8741(84)90007-2
Kurzbaum, E., Palenicek, T., Shrchaton, A., Azerrad, S. and others (2025) 'Exploring Psilocybe Strains: Cultivation Techniques, Psychoactive Compounds, Genetics and Research Gaps', Journal of Fungi, 11(2), pp. 99. doi:10.3390/jof11020099 Meta-analysis / review
https://doi.org/10.3390/jof11020099
Haikazian, S., Chen-Li, D.C.J., Johnson, D.E., Fancy, F., Levinta, A., Husain, M.I., Mansur, R.B., McIntyre, R.S. and Rosenblat, J.D (2023) 'Psilocybin-assisted therapy for depression: A systematic review and meta-analysis', Psychiatry Research, 329, pp. 115531. doi:10.1016/j.psychres.2023.115531 Meta-analysis / review
https://doi.org/10.1016/j.psychres.2023.115531
Metaxa, A.M. and Clarke, M (2024) 'Efficacy of psilocybin for treating symptoms of depression: systematic review and meta-analysis', BMJ, 385, pp. e078084. doi:10.1136/bmj-2023-078084 Meta-analysis / review
https://doi.org/10.1136/bmj-2023-078084
Goodwin, G.M., Aaronson, S.T., Alvarez, O., Baker, A., Bennett, J.C., Carhart-Harris, R., DeBattista, C., Dunlop, B.W., Rush, A.J., Young, A.H. and Malievskaia, E (2022) 'Single-Dose Psilocybin for a Treatment-Resistant Episode of Major Depression', New England Journal of Medicine, 387(18), pp. 1637-1648. doi:10.1056/NEJMoa2206443 Randomized trial
https://doi.org/10.1056/NEJMoa2206443
Perez, N., Langlest, F., Mallet, L., De Pieri, M., Sentissi, O., Thorens, G., Seragnoli, F., Zullino, D., Kirschner, M., Kaiser, S., Solmi, M. and Sabe, M (2023) 'Psilocybin-assisted therapy for depression: A systematic review and dose-response meta-analysis of human studies', European Neuropsychopharmacology, 76, pp. 61-76. doi:10.1016/j.euroneuro.2023.07.011 Meta-analysis / review
https://doi.org/10.1016/j.euroneuro.2023.07.011
Azarius 'When to Harvest Mushrooms: Veil Break Timing Explained'. Available at: https://www.azarius.com/wiki/cultivation/mushroom-cultivation/harvest-timing-veil-break Traditional / reference
https://www.azarius.com/wiki/cultivation/mushroom-cultivation/harvest-timing-veil-break
Carhart-Harris, R.L. et al (2016) 'Psilocybin with psychological support for treatment-resistant depression: an open-label feasibility study', 3(7), pp. 619--627. doi:10.1016/s2215-0366(16)30065-7 Clinical study
https://doi.org/10.1016/s2215-0366(16)30065-7
Griffiths, R.R. et al (2016) 'Psilocybin produces substantial and sustained decreases in depression and anxiety in patients with life-threatening cancer', 30(12), pp. 1181--1197. Randomized trial
https://scholar.google.com/scholar?q=Psilocybin%20produces%20substantial%20and%20sustained%20decreases%20in%20depression%20and%20anxiety%20in%20patients%20with%20life-threatening%20cancer
Duke, J.A (2002) 'Handbook of Medicinal Herbs, Second Edition'. Traditional / reference
https://scholar.google.com/scholar?q=Handbook%20of%20Medicinal%20Herbs%2C%20Second%20Edition
Diaz, J.H (2018) 'Amatoxin-containing mushroom poisonings: species, toxidromes, treatments, and outcomes', Wilderness and Environmental Medicine, 29(1), pp. 111-118. doi:10.1016/j.wem.2017.10.002 Clinical study
https://doi.org/10.1016/j.wem.2017.10.002
(2021) 'Phylogenetic analysis of the distribution of deadly amatoxins among the little brown mushrooms of the genus Galerina', PLOS ONE, 16(2), pp. e0246575. doi:10.1371/journal.pone.0246575 Preclinical
https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0246575
UBC Beaty Biodiversity Museum (2024) 'Galerina marginata - Mushrooms Up! Edible and Poisonous Species of Coastal BC and the Pacific Northwest'. Available at: https://explore.beatymuseum.ubc.ca/mushroomsup/G_marginata.html Traditional / reference
https://explore.beatymuseum.ubc.ca/mushroomsup/G_marginata.html

Selected studies & references

ReviewExploring Psilocybe Strains: Cultivation Techniques, Psychoactive Compounds, Genetics and Research Gaps source↗ (2025)

ReviewPharmacokinetics of Psilocybin, a Tryptamine Alkaloid in Magic Mushroom (Psilocybe cubensis): A Systematic Review source↗ (2025)

ReviewEfficacy of psilocybin for treating symptoms of depression: systematic review and meta-analysis source↗ (2024)

ReviewPsilocybin-assisted therapy for depression: A systematic review and dose-response meta-analysis of human studies source↗ (2023)

ReviewPsilocybin-assisted therapy for depression: A systematic review and meta-analysis source↗ (2023)

ReviewEthnobotany of psilocybin mushrooms, especially Psilocybe cubensis source↗ (1984)

RctMicrodosing with psilocybin mushrooms: a double-blind placebo-controlled study source↗ (2022)

RctSingle-Dose Psilocybin for a Treatment-Resistant Episode of Major Depression source↗ (2022)

All 17 studies in the Knowledge Finder →

Educational use only. This profile summarises traditional and scientific sources for reference. It is not medical advice and not a substitute for a qualified practitioner. Some plants carry safety cautions and drug interactions - always check before use.
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