Psilocybe semilanceata, Magic Mushroom, Liberty Cap

Before proceeding, we emphasise that mushroom identification should be approached seriously and with caution. You should never eat a mushroom if you are not assured of its identity. If you are in any doubt about a particular specimen, you should either discard it or seek an expert opinion. If you’re reading this, you probably don’t need convincing as to why that right is important.

While not nearly as common, Liberty Caps can be found in the Southern Hemisphere, particularly in cooler, wetter climates such as Chile, Tasmania and New Zealand. Given their scarcity down under, it’s still probably best not to waste your precious vacation hunting virtually anywhere below the Equator. And if you’re ever in doubt, consult an expert before consuming anything you find in the wild. Visit Mind Mend for expert insights, and don’t hesitate to contact us for any questions.

The history of magic mushrooms can be traced back to the earliest recorded mention of their psychoactive effects. Dr. Everard Brande was known to the London home of a poor family experiencing an array of symptoms on October 3, 1799. They felt that something had tampered with their food and they were poisoned. Liberty caps are one of the most fascinating, mysterious, and beautiful fungi.

Effects

The Liberty Cap mushroom has a slender stem that is yellowish-brown in color. The heights of these mushrooms range between 1 3/4″ and five 1/2″. He was laughing wildly and hysterically, where are liberty caps found but not even his dad or mom could calm him down. The doctors observed Edward’s dilated pupils and concluded that he was not making any sense in his speech. The substance producing hallucinogenic fungi effects was not found until the early 60s. The stem is ivory to pale brown and often darker towards the base.

Dangers of Picking Wild Mushrooms

Some of the grassland bonnets (Mycena sp.) might look similar with age too, however their striated cap might be a relatively easy giveaway. The gills start light grey/black, are mottled and have a lighter edge but become very dark purple/black as the spores are released. This common Autumn mushroom has been illegal to pick, prepare, eat or sell since 2005 as they are now considered a class A drug. Liberty Caps contain the active ingredients psilocybin and psilocin, which can cause hallucinations and in some cases, nausea or vomiting. A few different species produce mushrooms that look very similar to Psilocybe semilanceata but could actually be dangerous to ingest. All of these could easily be distinguished by spore print colour.

They contain the psychoactive compound psilocybin, which is responsible for their mind-altering effects. The best known feature of the liberty caps is the nipple on the top. While the nipple on top can be a good indicator of a lib, other species (including poisonous ones) also have a similar nipple-like peak, so don’t rely solely on this feature to identify liberty caps.

But the name has a different, but no less revolutionary, origin. P. semilanceata takes its common name from the Phrygian cap, also known as the “Liberty Cap,” which it resembles. Some of the Mottlegills from the genus Panaeolus can look similar but none have both a pronounced umbo and a bent and curving stem.

It’s wise to keep in mind that laws regarding these types of substances can vary widely and change frequently, so it’s always a good idea to familiarize yourself with your local laws. The Liberty Cap, or Psilocybe semilanceata, is the most hallucinogenic mushroom in the world. It contains psilocybin and psilocin, which cause psychedelic effects when consumed.

How do you take liberty cap mushrooms?

They are responsible for the first documented psychedelic trip in England, when, in 1799,  a family ate some libs they had picked in London’s St. James’s Green Park. An account of their experience is published in the London Medical and Physical Journal and can be read here. 2 to 3mm in diameter and 4 to 10cm tall, the slender cream stem of Psilocybe semilanceata is fibrous, usually wavy and sometimes coloured blue towards the base. While the different types of edible mushrooms that are stuffed on grocery shelves can be confusing to identify, Liberty Cap mushrooms have a distinct shape that can alert mushroom pickers. The flesh of Liberty Cap mushrooms contains the psychoactive compounds of psilocybin.

During the 1960s and 1970s, Liberty Caps gained popularity among counterculture movements and psychedelic enthusiasts. Their widespread availability in fields and meadows across Europe and North America made them a natural alternative to synthetic psychedelics like LSD. If we aren’t diligent in our harvesting, we could damage the mycelium underneath. The mycelial network functions as a sort of “wood wide web” and facilitates communication between mushrooms and other plants.

What are Liberty Cap mushrooms?

• These gills produce the spore print that helps with identification, and their color transformation is an important sign of maturity.
• The gills of a liberty cap mushroom move from a brownish color to purple-brown; spores can also be a dark purple-brown color.
• This property is called hygrophanous (having a change in color due to changes in moisture).
• There’s a slimy border on the underside of the mushroom’s gills.
• However, the bluing reaction in Liberty Caps tends to be less pronounced than in other psilocybin mushrooms like Psilocybe cubensis or Psilocybe cyanescens.

Psilocybin mushrooms like the liberty cap have a long history of use, particularly for their hallucinogenic properties. When consumed, they can alter perception, enhance emotions, and induce vivid hallucinations. But their allure isn’t just about the trip—they’re an exciting mushroom species to identify and understand. Psilocybe semilanceata is found amongst grass growing in rich soil in temperate meadows.

• They won’t bruise blue, like other ‘magic’ mushrooms containing psilocybin.
• The gills start light grey/black, are mottled and have a lighter edge but become very dark purple/black as the spores are released.
• Liberty cap mushrooms are psychedelic mushrooms, which means they contain psilocybin and, under federal law, are illegal in most states.
• Identifying liberty cap mushrooms is a must to avoid confusing them with other potentially harmful species.

In the United States, magic mushrooms are a schedule 1 narcotic, which means there are no recognised benefits. Unlike the variance when it comes to cannabis laws by state, magic mushroom are prohibited across the board. The word semilanceata is Latin in origin and breaks down to semi, which means half, and lanceata which means spear-shaped. Many of these liberty caps actually do resemble little, dull spears, so the etymology is fairly accurate. Don’t be fooled by the small size of these magic mushrooms; they surely pack a punch. With an average of almost 2% psilocybin, these tiny fungi are highly sought after by free-thinkers and psychonauts.

The specific epitet semilanceata comes from semi- meaning ‘half’and -lanceata which means ‘spear-shaped’. Some of these little mushrooms do indeed look like spears, although many have wiggly stems uncharacteristic of spear shafts. It takes .2 to .5 grams of dried magic mushrooms to begin to feel the effects of the psilocybin.

The name ‘mushroom’ is derived from the shape of Phrygian helmets, also known as “liberty caps.” The original liberty cap symbolized freedom and liberation for enslaved people in the Roman world. They were more than just these “free” prostitutes thrown around casually these days. The hat they were given represented their pride in their work, but if you looked closely, you could see it was also a representation of their shame. The color of these caps is affected by the moisture level around them. This property is called hygrophanous (having a change in color due to changes in moisture). The dark brown color of these bite-sized delicacies is often a sign that they’re dried, but sometimes they take on a lighter chestnut shade when moist.