How can i identify psilocybe mushrooms?

Question

trying to distinguish between psilocybes and poisonous mushrooms

Answer 1

Poisonous musrooms are mushrooms that contain chemical substances that, if taken in small concentrations, have a bad or lethal effect on you (e.g death, vomiting, rash, blindness, infertility etc)

Psilocybes are mushrooms that have a hallucinogenic effect on you, you start hallucinating. They contain psilocybin, a crystalline substance.

Formula: C13HN2O3P2

As you can see, trying to distinguish between the two by eating them would be a very bad idea.....

Answer 2

Take the advice of an old mushroom eater: NO BLUE / DONT CHEW>  The psilicyban mushroom turns blue at the area where the stem is broken

Answer 3

if you get a chance check out paul stamets book 'psilocybin mushrooms of the world'. it's good with colour photos and gives good physical descriptions and habitat details.

other than that, i'd suggest doing as much research as you can on the web(- see the shroomery.org and other sites local to your area)

The best way though is to get an experienced person to guide you.

good luck with your hunt

:]