When one starts down the path of learning about “magic mushrooms“, one will quickly see the terms psilocybe and psilocybin being thrown about and used interchangeably. To the layperson, this isn’t a big deal because they’re generally used as descriptors for mushrooms of the hallucinogenic sort. However, the two terms have profoundly different definitions and any non-superficial discussion of “magic” mushrooms deserves to have these terms used correctly.
Let’s begin with psilocybe. (SY-loh-SY-bee). Psilocybe is a genus of gilled mushrooms that grow primarily in South America, Mexico, the southern United States, Europe, the Indian sub-continent, southeast Asia including Japan & Indonesia, Melanesia, and Eastern Australia. On this website, we offer spores of this genera here. This genus is comprised of a number of species with varying degrees of similarity and disparity. They include cubensis, semilanceata, cyanescens, aztecorum, tampenensis, pelliculosa, azurenscens, zapotecorum, and baeocystis.
On the other hand, psilocybin is one of the three compounds produced by the psilocybe genera mushrooms known to cause changes in perception when ingested. Perceptual changes may include hallucinations, euphoria, time-distortion, and spiritual experiences. It may also cause nausea and panic attacks, especially in first-time users.
As one can clearly see, while both terms have substantially different meanings, they both can convey to a layperson that one is generally referring to magic mushrooms in some way when using either term. Just go to any message board on the topic and you’ll see the terms being used interchangeably even among the “educated”.
This website does not condone the manufacture or use of illegal drugs of any sort. This information is for educational purposes only.