POISONOUS AND HALLUCINOGENIC MUSHROOMS
by Michael W. Beug Email: beugm@evergreen.edu
The Evergreen State College, Olympia WA
Slide 30.
Pluteus salicinus, shown here, has a bluing form that
has been shown to contain psilocybin and psilocin. The presence of a bluing
reaction in mushrooms frequently indicates the presence of these hallucinogenic
compounds, though what produces the bluing is unknown. Mushrooms can contain
psilocybin and still not produce a bluing reaction. In addition compounds
like boletol produce a bluing reaction in mushrooms that contain no hallucinogens.
The darkening reaction on the stems of some deadly Galerinas can be mistaken
for a bluing reaction, so caution and a sound knowledge of how to identify
mushrooms is always in order if you are going to consume wild mushrooms.
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