On some species of fungi supposed to be psychotropic

Abstract

Aside from species known to be ??psychotropic??, a number of fungi has been indicated as or is suspected to be the cause of cerebral mycetisms without, thus far, a scientific proof of such physiological activity. Five agarics of this category are here described: Panaeolus sphinctrinus var. sphinctrinus and var. minor, P. moellerianus sp. n., Copelandia cyanescens, and Russula wahgiensis sp. n.

Copelandia cyanescens grows easily in current solid and liquid media; its spores germinate easily; carpophores often appear in test tubes. Aerial mycelium transferred to rye grain produces spawn which can be inoculated in mushroom beds like that of Agaricus bisporus.

The difficult taxonomy of the Panaeolus sphinctrinus stirps is discussed.