Psilocybin-containingHymenogastraceaeAfrica
Psilocybe mairei
Maire's psilocybe
North African cedar-forest species of Morocco and Algeria, historically linked to Saharan rock art.
Regional status: Native to the Atlas mountains of North Africa
- Cap
- Convex to flattened, 20–50 mm, ochre-brown, hygrophanous, wavy margin.
- Gills
- Adnate, pale then dark purple-brown.
- Stem
- 30–70 mm, whitish, fibrous, blueing.
- Flesh
- Whitish, blueing.
- Spore print
- Dark purple-brown
- Habitat
- Wood debris and humus under Atlas cedar and oak.
- Distribution
- Morocco and Algeria.
- Season
- Autumn and winter rains
- Bruising
- Blue-green on bruising.
- Odour
- Farinaceous
- Potency
- Strong
Key features
- ▪Cedar and oak forest debris
- ▪Wavy cap margin
- ▪Blue-green bruising
Field tests
- Purple-brown spore print
- Blue reaction on cut flesh
Edibility
Psilocybin-containing; not a food species.
Warning
Galerina and other amatoxin species occur in the same wood debris.
Photo and feature-based identification is probabilistic. Never consume a wild mushroom on the basis of an app result — confirm with an experienced mycologist.