Gymnopilus luteofolius

Gymnopilus luteofolius is a wood-rotting mushroom with a reddish to purplish young cap that fades to yellowish or tawny with age, and crowded gills that mature from yellow to rusty-orange as the rust-brown spores develop. It grows in clusters on decaying hardwood and conifer wood, on wood chips, and on woody debris in soil. It is a member of a small group of Gymnopilus species that produce psilocybin, and it is regarded as psychoactive rather than edible.

History

The species was originally described by Charles Horton Peck and was later transferred to the genus Gymnopilus by Rolf Singer, so it is cited as Gymnopilus luteofolius (Peck) Singer. The epithet luteofolius derives from Latin, roughly meaning "yellow-leaved," a reference to the yellowish gills of young specimens. The genus name Gymnopilus refers to the bare, exposed cap surface. Interest in this species has grown alongside research into psilocybin-producing fungi outside the genus Psilocybe; recent phylogenomic work has confirmed that G. luteofolius carries the core psilocybin biosynthetic genes.

Overview

Gymnopilus luteofolius functions ecologically as a wood-decay fungus, breaking down lignin and cellulose in dead wood and recycling nutrients in forest ecosystems. It is reported from North America and Europe and is found in the wild rather than cultivated. Its psilocybin content is variable from collection to collection, so reported potency is inconsistent. Because it is bitter and psychoactive, it is not used as food.