Psilocybe Stuntzii
- Jake Peter
- January 13, 2023
- 3:08 pm
The Sanctuary Wellness Institute does not offer Psilocybin Therapy. This web page is meant for informational use only.
Psychedelic or “magic” mushrooms contain the psychoactive compound psilocybin. These fungi are consumed for their mind-altering effects. While early civilizations used them for spiritual and ceremonial practices, mid-20th century researchers explored their therapeutic potential.
Unfortunately, false assumptions about psychedelics and an ensuing cultural shift led to their criminalization, halting research into psilocybin and its medical applications. As the understanding of neurochemistry and disease grew through the 21st century, pioneering scientists reopened investigations into psychedelics as a form of treatment.
Initial research was so promising that the FDA now permits investigators to conduct clinical trials, exploring ways to treat depression, post-traumatic stress disorder, epilepsy, and other chronic diseases.
Psilocybe stuntzii is a psilocybin-containing mushroom that expands the mind and creates new synaptic connections. This article discusses the characteristics, habitat, and effects of the species. Understanding psilocybe mushrooms will help you better understand psychedelic treatments.
What is Psilocybe Stuntzii?
Psilocybe stuntzii is a psychedelic mushroom species named after Daniel Stuntz, a University of Washington mycologist who discovered the fungus growing on campus. They are nicknamed Stuntz’s blue legs and blue ringers because their caps and stems easily bruise blue when handled.
The stuntzii’s hygrophanous cap is usually dark brown around the edges and fades to a paler brown at its center. Dried samples are yellowish brown or pale yellow. The cap is only 1 cm to 2 cm in diameter. They are usually sticky when damp and bruise to a blue-green color when damaged.
Stuntzii have broad yellowish-brown gills with white edges that turn a brownish or blackish violet in maturity. Psilocybe stuntzii’s spores and spore prints are a dark purple-brown, and the plant has a flexuous neck.
The stipe (or stem) reaches 6.5 cm tall with a 4 mm thickness and a translucent striate, tapering toward the cap. They are whitish or brownish, dry, fibrous, and hollow.
Psilocybe Stuntzii Habitats
Stuntzii thrive in the western portion of the Pacific Northwest, generally within 50 miles of the coast. They reach as far south as Santa Cruz, California and as far north as British Columbia in Canada.
Stuntzii are most prevalent throughout the Puget Sound region of Washington. While plentiful in their native habitat, they are one of the more geographically isolated psilocybes.
These mushrooms are drawn to newly-laid sod, well-kept lawns, and gardens with fresh mulch that feature soil rich with wood chips. Commonly spotted near rivers, they often propagate on conifer material, especially white pine.
They usually develop in dense clusters called “bouquets.” Groups of mushrooms appear about 200 feet from one another. In most habitats, they grow from early August through late December. Interestingly, they grow year-round on lawns and within gardens in Seattle, Washington.
The poisonous Galerina autumnalis and Galerina marginata are lookalike mushrooms that grow in the same habitat. Consuming wild mushrooms whose identity has not been verified by a trained mycologist is never safe. A single Galerina cap is often fatal.
Psilocybe Stuntzii Effects
The mushroom’s odor and taste are both strong and starchy. Most people liken them to fresh flour. They are palatable and usually consumed alone or mixed into food.
They have up to 0.36% psilocybin and 0 to 0.12% psilocin, making them relatively moderate psychedelics. As a result of their low psilocin content, their effects are generally milder yet longer lasting than other psychedelic mushrooms.
Stuntzii create uplifting and euphoric feelings similar to other psilocybes. Ingesting “magic mushrooms” leads to pupil dilation, elevated blood pressure, and increased heart rate.
Cardiac changes will be more pronounced if you experience anxiety or a “bad trip.” These effects are temporary and non-critical. Nausea and gastric distress are possible but usually only occur with higher doses.
The mind-opening effects of mushrooms alter the perception of your surroundings and time. You may experience vivid visuals when you close your eyes and auditory hallucinations.
Skilled therapists use the state of elevated consciousness to guide you through thoughts and feelings to treat symptoms of some medical conditions. Research is ongoing, but investigators also believe psilocybin mushrooms open and rewire neural pathways, enabling them to manage chronic diseases like epilepsy, addiction, and depression.
Is Psilocybe Stuntzii Legal?
Stuntzii are illegal to purchase and possess across most of the nation because psilocybin is a Schedule 1 narcotic. As a result, anything containing psilocybin is prohibited. The federal government’s official stance is that the compound has no medical value and is likely to be abused.
Patient success stories and the evolving body of psilocybin knowledge are changing the legal status of psychedelics. Colorado and Oregon now permit the possession and use of psilocybin.
They are working to establish formal therapeutic protocols and regulated treatment centers. Several other states are formally exploring legalization and therapeutic applications.
While they remain federally illegal, the FDA allows researchers to conduct clinical trials and other studies using psilocybin because the intervention has proved effective at treating chronic diseases that lack effective conventional treatments.
As societal norms evolve and the effects of psilocybin become better known, the federal government and more states will reassess their current positions.
Growing Psilocybe Stuntzii
Stuntzii are relatively rare mushrooms with similar potency and range of effects as Psilocybe cubensis. As a result, it is not in widespread cultivation. Proper methods are not well established.
You can legally grow “magic mushrooms” anywhere psilocybin is legal or decriminalized. Online retailers sell stuntzii spores and grow kits nationwide because they do not contain psilocybin.
Check your state and local laws before purchasing to ensure you can grow mushrooms. Possession of psilocybin is punishable with fines and imprisonment in many jurisdictions.
Cultivating mushrooms is straightforward with a quality grow kit but takes patience and precision. Generally, a successful harvest requires wood-rich soil or conifer chips for a substrate.
You then sanitize the material and inoculate it with your spore syringe. Once the mycelium or root-like network of the mushroom appears, you transfer the sample to a dark area, maintain proper moisture, and fertilize it with the nutrients included in the kit.
While the process subtly differs based on the type of mushroom you cultivate, the general practices are the same. It may be easier to grow better-known mushrooms like cubensis or semilanceata because the cultivation methods are well-established.
FAQ
How does psilocin work in the brain?
When you ingest psilocybin, it converts into psilocin during digestion. The compound then enters your brain and engages serotonin receptors, the neurotransmitter associated with positive feelings. This reaction induces the euphoric feelings associated with “tripping.”
Studies show that psilocin also reduces activity in the claustrum, the brain region that governs our attention and divides our focus. Researchers believe this effect causes the mind-opening experience and connected feelings people report.
Is psilocybe stuntzii poisonous?
Stuntzii are non-poisonous and safe for human consumption. However, they closely resemble Galerina marginata, the most poisonous mushroom in the world.
Ingestion of a single Galerina marginata can be fatal because its toxins destroy the liver and kidneys. Experts strongly advise that you never consume stuntzii identified on your own. It’s also critical to avoid purchasing mushrooms from questionable sources due to the difficulty of identifying mushrooms without extensive training.
What time of year do psilocybe stuntzii grow?
Stuntzii generally grow from late August to December. Like many psilocybe mushrooms, they fruit once the temperature drops.
Is Cordyceps a hallucinogen?
Cordyceps, nicknamed the zombie fungus, are parasitic fungi that grow on insects. There are over 400 species within the cordyceps family. These mushrooms are not hallucinogenic, relatively rare, and usually expensive.
People mainly take them to boost their immune system, elevate energy levels, improve sleep quality, prevent kidney disease, and ease respiratory illnesses and asthma.
Are blue roundheads psychedelic?
\Blue roundheads, known scientifically as Stropharia caerulea, are not part of the psilocybe genus. These mushrooms are common throughout North America and Western Europe.
They are non-psychedelic because they lack psilocybin and psilocin. While generally regarded as non-poisonous, some roundheads may cause moderate to severe gastrointestinal symptoms. The mushrooms are also odorless and tasteless, making them unworthy of the risk.
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Jake Peter received his journalism degree from Emerson College and has been writing content for the Sanctuary Wellness Institute since 2021. He is passionate about all things cannabis.