Inocybe corydalina var. corydalina

Inocybe corydalina var. corydalina is a member of the genus Inocybe which is widely distributed in temperate forests. It is a small mycorrhizal mushroom which contains a small amount of hallucinogen psilocybin.

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Chemical analysis by Stijve and Kuyper shows that it contains 0.032% psilocybin, a very low concentration.

Description

• Cap: 3.5-5 cm diameter, buff to brown brown, often with greenish tones, conic to convex or plane in age, with or without an umbo, with appressed fibrillose squamules on the cap which are more frequent towards the center, and an incurved margin. The center of the cap is darker brown to greenish, sometimes black and the flesh is white.
• Gills: adnate and very numerous, pale cream brown to grayish buff.
• Spores: Smooth and lemon shaped, measuring 8 x 5.5 micrometres, dull brown, often with a bluish-grayish stem base.
• Stipe: 2.5-10 cm long, 4 to 6 mm thick, and is equal width for the whole length, sometimes with some swelling at the base. The upper part of the stem is smooth and the lower part is fibrillose. Has a cortinate partial veil which soon disappears.
• Taste:
• Odor: Aromatic.
• Microscopic features: Pleurocystidia 33-70 by 9-21 micrometers, clavate cylindrical. Cheilocystidia are not common and look like pleurocystidia.

Distribution and habitat

Inocybe corydalina var. corydalina is widespread across Europe, North America and the British Isles. It usually fruits in the fall under deciduous trees but can also be found under conifers.

Edibility

Weakly hallucinogenic. Contains psilocybin.

Gurevich and Nezoiminogo reported that this mushroom contains the mycotoxin muscarine but no psilocybin; other researchers have been unable to confirm this result. Caution is advised.