Psilocybe stuntzii: Unveiling the Cascadian Wonder

Psilocybe stuntzii is a true gem of the Pacific Northwest. Also known as Stuntz’s blue legs and blue ringers, this groovy mushroom is a part of the Hymenogastraceae family with its active compounds psilocybin and psilocin. 

This mushroom’s got a pretty cool name – it’s a shoutout to the mycologist superstar, Daniel Stuntz, who first spotted it on the University of Washington campus.

Read on to learn more about the structure of Psilocybe stuntzii, its habitat, and similar species. 

Source: Psilocybe stuntzii Guzmán & J.Ott

The structure of Psilocybe stuntzii

Belonging to the psilocybe genus gives this beauty some distinct features. 

Cap	It starts conical, then gets convex, and has a translucent-striate margin. Its size ranges from 0.5 to 1.5 in.
Gills	These start off yellowish, then go violet-brown, and they’re responsible for producing a spore print.
Stipe	The stem comes in all sorts of lengths, from 0.5 to 3 in. It’s cylindrical and can have some twisty striations. The colors range from whitish to brownish.
Veil	It forms a delicate ring that’s an accessory that darkens as the spores get mature.
Stain	If damaged, this mushroom turns blue-green.
Spores	These are subrhomboid in the face view and subellipsoid in the side view. They’ve got an appendage that’s visible and a yellow-brown hue.
Spore print	The mushroom leaves a dark violaceous brown spore print.
Taste and odor	Both smell and taste are starchy.

Habitat and distribution

It loves to appear in the beautiful landscapes of the western Pacific Northwest. You’ll find it in conifer wood chips, cozy bark mulch, and even new lawns freshly laid with sod, adding a touch of wild charm to the scene. 

Source: Sovereign – Mushroom Observer 

You can spot it from late July through December, sometimes the sightings continue all year round in Seattle. It occasionally shows up in sunny California, even Santa Cruz. 

This mushroom was once a common sight, gracing over 40% of new lawns and mulched areas in the Puget Sound region. These days, it’s become a bit of a wanderer, showing up now and then in well-fertilized, pristine lawns.

Similar species 

In the Stuntzae section, you’ll find a lot of simile fungi. They share some family traits, but each has its own unique flair within the intricate tapestry of psilocybin mushrooms.

• Psilocybe caeruleoannulata ‒ Found in Uruguay and Brazil
• Psilocybe meridionalis – Native to Mexico, it’s the only species of Psilocybe from section Stuntzii that can be found here
• Psilocybe mescaleroensis – Found in the summer and fall in Lincoln County, NM
• Psilocybe ovoideocystidiata – Native to the eastern United States
• Psilocybe subaeruginascens – Found in southern Japan and subtropical Java and in Kwazulu-Natal South Africa

Research mushroom spores with us

If you’re interested in gazing upon the magical world of fungi, your research journey starts here. Check out Fungushead, we have an amazing collection of Psilocybe cubensis mushroom spore Syringes, Swabs, and Mixpacks.

Here’s what’s in our mushroom research kit:

High-Quality Spores	We take great care in handpicking each strain from genetically isolated sources to offer you the best genetics possible
Deionized Type 2 Water	Our syringes are filled with meticulously purified water, which serves as a protective shield against any unwelcome contaminants
Tested for Viability	Our spores undergo regular tests to ensure they are lively and thriving, free from any potential contaminants
Labeled for Identification	Each syringe comes labeled with the strain name and a picture of what that strain looks like when fruiting