Psilocybe subaeruginosa season in Australia

[acacian]

Subbies are in season now and fortunately as part of my work I have found myself in some locations that are conducive to their growth. Below are some from today in a native woodland and some others from a week back growing in the woodlands near a large gorge/waterfall. The ones growing near the gorge tended to have broader stems and were overall a bit ‘meatier’ .. but both forms beautiful. Below some pictures for the viewer’s pleasure

 

[acacian]

Some more thick juicy wavy cap Psilocybe subaeruginosa.. they tend to be much thicker and more potent in eucalypt woodland as opposed to grasslands in my experience.. definitely my preference over the ones found in pine forests. Curious if other peoples experience with the differing substrates and potency?

 

[_Trip_]

Unsure if there's a substrate difference from what I recall from personal experience but it's a good question that needs exploring. Certain patches are definately stronger.

I think a member on shaman australis posted lab results ages ago and found differences between states. Further south produced stronger subs with I think the most potent tested in Vic Mt Dandenongs. The percentages he got tested were for higher than in the literature iirc. Long time since I read it

 

[acacian]

I’d love to see those lab results that’s really interesting.

Dandenongs fascinate me to no end.. there’s really something about that area. My favorite Acacia extract has also been from there. Maybe something in the soil is conducive to tryptamines there

 

[Transform]

Lovely pics again! I find it fascinating that this species apparently is happy both in woodland and grassland. Do the grassland specimens grow on dead grass stems, or is there an element of buried wood involved?

And has woodlover paralysis ever been observed from Australian species?

 

[acacian]

@Transform probably an element of wood involved I’d say. They won’t be found in paddocks or fields but can grow in grassy areas in forest..

Yes wood lovers paralysis is definitely a thing with subaeruginosa.. I’ve not personally had it but know of many who do

 

[acacian]

And @Transform no it doesn’t seem they are growing on dead grass stems. I’ll go and have a look later on at some grassy ones to confirm that though. I think in these grassy areas though there would be a layer underneath of broken down matter .. the grassy areas like I said are usually very close to woodlands.. but also extend beyond into some more open areas.

 

[Transform]

This seems very much to mirror the reports of grassland Ps. cyanescens - that they grow on buried wood. Essentially, we're not really seeing the substrate versatility of something like oyster mushrooms (Pleurotus spp.).

 

[acacian]

Yeah I think you’re on the money there. Certainly it seems in late autumn to early winter that where there’s a lot of broken down organic matter, subbies won’t be far away. Perhaps in larger chunks of broken down wood there is more food in there for them to grow much more dense. The grassy ones are often very dwindly.

I’m no mycologist though so pure speculation on my part

Curious to hear of peoples experience with the wood lovers paralysis here?

 

[_Trip_]

Can't say I've had it or seen people have it but I know people who have claimed to have gotten it.

 

[acacian]

Can't say I've had it or seen people have it but I know people who have claimed to have gotten it.

It’s a bit of a talking point on a certain online psychedelic page at the moment.. lots of people reporting it..

 

[acacian]

Okay.. the mushrooms growing from eucalypt mulch in my last pictures - well they were intimidatingly powerful.. my friend and I tore about a third of a cap off of a medium sized mushroom, hoping for a micro-to-light dose dose while we bushwalked/fossicked. My friend's aim was to sharpen his senses for finding crystals.. mine was to interact with a granite growing Acacia which continues to remain frustratingly elusive towards me - as well as to photograph a rare Acacia that has but a single photo in the public domain and also grows on granite slopes..

But microdose we were staunchly refused.. these thick fleshy fungus had something else in mind for the two of us. We suddenly found ourselves on a trajectory we hadn't anticipated. We both started feeling heavy and tingly.. and we even began to feel nervous talking to each other as the effects were climbing, despite being best friends of over 15 years. The sensation was a little overwhelming - but we talked it out, established some common sensations we were feeling (which really helped) and it slowly settled into a calm, grounding state of being, where our surroundings just couldn't allow us any discomfort, as they were too awesome. The huge granite cliffs/boulders reflecting the late afternoon sunlight.. the graceful tough plants nudging us towards them, almost winking at us in knowledge of their beauty and what it could do for us.. it started becoming really awesome.

As the sun went down we had another mushroom and continued to walk through the forest in the dark. Lo and behold .. a photoshoot with the rare species suddenly stood before me, and I got some incredible night shots of the wattle.

The next day we went a little deeper.. this time we split up. I went looking for the other species I wanted to see.. and my friend found a quartz vein he wanted to investigate. I headed towards a large granite bluff I thought looked like a suitable area for the wattle. I didn't find it growing.. but instead entered an area of beauty I'm actually not quite sure I've witnessed before. I sat on the granite slope in awe of the vast endless view of huge granite mountains. As I took it all in I felt the urge to commune further.. so I loaded a light dose of Acacia floribunda extract into my vapor genie..

Without being able to go into much detail I can only say that it was a truly religious experience. As the DMT wore off I started to miss my friend, so I decided to hike back up to where he was fossicking.. when I arrived I realized we'd both been having our own equivalent awe inspiring experience.. he had found the most exquisite minerals and was completely ecstatic.. I had found the most exquisite landscape to sit with and marvel over and I also found some really groovy plants I'm excited to have identified at the local herbarium. I love the synergy between my love of plants and my friend's love of rocks/minerals. We were both so stoked..

Very tired writing this so I'll stop now.. but yeah.. wow. Was great to connect with mushrooms again after being much more focussed on Acacia in recent years.

Photos don't do justice to what these eyes saw.. but here's a few shots for ya'll to enjoy

 

[Transform]

Okay.. the mushrooms growing from eucalypt mulch in my last pictures - well they were intimidatingly powerful.. my friend and I tore about a third of a cap off of a medium sized mushroom, hoping for a micro-to-light dose dose while we bushwalked/fossicked. My friend's aim was to sharpen his senses for finding crystals.. mine was to interact with a granite growing Acacia which continues to remain frustratingly elusive towards me - as well as to photograph a rare Acacia that has but a single photo in the public domain and also grows on granite slopes..

But microdose we were staunchly refused.. these thick fleshy fungus had something else in mind for the two of us. We suddenly found ourselves on a trajectory we hadn't anticipated. We both started feeling heavy and tingly.. and we even began to feel nervous talking to each other as the effects were climbing, despite being best friends of over 15 years. The sensation was a little overwhelming - but we talked it out, established some common sensations we were feeling (which really helped) and it slowly settled into a calm, grounding state of being, where our surroundings just couldn't allow us any discomfort, as they were too awesome. The huge granite cliffs/boulders reflecting the late afternoon sunlight.. the graceful tough plants nudging us towards them, almost winking at us in knowledge of their beauty and what it could do for us.. it started becoming really awesome.

As the sun went down we had another mushroom and continued to walk through the forest in the dark. Lo and behold .. a photoshoot with the rare species suddenly stood before me, and I got some incredible night shots of the wattle.

The next day we went a little deeper.. this time we split up. I went looking for the other species I wanted to see.. and my friend found a quartz vein he wanted to investigate. I headed towards a large granite bluff I thought looked like a suitable area for the wattle. I didn't find it growing.. but instead entered an area of beauty I'm actually not quite sure I've witnessed before. I sat on the granite slope in awe of the vast endless view of huge granite mountains. As I took it all in I felt the urge to commune further.. so I loaded a light dose of Acacia floribunda extract into my vapor genie..

Without being able to go into much detail I can only say that it was a truly religious experience. As the DMT wore off I started to miss my friend, so I decided to hike back up to where he was fossicking.. when I arrived I realized we'd both been having our own equivalent awe inspiring experience.. he had found the most exquisite minerals and was completely ecstatic.. I had found the most exquisite landscape to sit with and marvel over and I also found some really groovy plants I'm excited to have identified at the local herbarium. I love the synergy between my love of plants and my friend's love of rocks/minerals. We were both so stoked..

Very tired writing this so I'll stop now.. but yeah.. wow. Was great to connect with mushrooms again after being much more focussed on Acacia in recent years.

Photos don't do justice to what these eyes saw.. but here's a few shots for ya'll to enjoy

View attachment 98499

Wow! That landscape is phenomenal - and if you say the picture doesn't do it justice, well, I'm I glad I didn't go there because I would have dropped dead on the spot if that's the case. Simply stunning. It's like music for the eyes.

Nice trip report too, thanks for making a beautiful post

 

[acacian]

Thanks @Transform .. yeah that place is something else! It really lends itself to psychedelics..

I'm in disbelief that its not been made National Park/nature reserve.. seems criminal to me for it to be State Forest. But its related to the recreational activities that take place I think.. fossicking of course being the major one. Fortunately the landscape is completely inhospitable in many areas.. so the damage humans could do is fairly minimal. And maybe the fact that it isn't National Park is in some ways a blessing as you barely see a soul out there. It is pretty eerie..

It was hard being out there to not spend a lot of time pondering the indigenous history of some of the different areas/structures, and their cultural/spiritual significance. My friend and I suspect there is quite a lot of rock art around.. lots of cool little caves. I think it would have been seen as a deeply sacred area.

 

[Transform]

I think it would have been seen as a deeply sacred area

Yes, it totally looks like a temple of nature - that's a NatGeo level of photo you got there, I can't praise it highly enough.

 

[acacian]

@Transform

 

[doubledog]

Wow, this is really great, acacian, combination of two things I really like: mushroom hunting in the wild and rock formations together with trees.
That environment looks quite dry, how is it that mushrooms are able to grow there? At least here where I live a huge amount of moisture in the autumn is needed.

 

[acacian]

Wow, this is really great, acacian, combination of two things I really like: mushroom hunting in the wild and rock formations together with trees.
That environment looks quite dry, how is it that mushrooms are able to grow there? At least here where I live a huge amount of moisture in the autumn is needed.

The mushrooms were picked a little south in the town I live in.. but no doubt grow in that area too. Native psilocybe species basically require eucalypt/acacia leaf litter and mycelium covered wood chips.. can also grow in pine forests, but tend not to be as potent. Whether this is due to difference in species/phenotype I'm not sure. Increasingly am being convinced that most recent ones I posted are probably Psilocybe australiana.. which has been lumped in with Psilocybe subaeruginosa. Apparently Paul Stamets was adamant that there are a number of different native Australian Psilocybe species, but other mycologists have lumped them all together and believe them to all be phenotypes of subaeruginosa.. as often happens in botany as well.

This place isn’t actually as dry as it looks either. The mushrooms were picked in an area of fairly similar humidity/rainfall. No shortage of fungi around but didn't see any psilocybes this time around. The more moist gullies I suspect would get them after heavy rainfall but there hadn't been any leading up to our adventure..