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Psilocybe Allenii
"Allen's Psilocybe"
Psilocybe Allenii fruiting bodies
Scientific Classification
Kingdom:Fungi
Division:Basidiomycota
Class:Agaricomycetes
Order:Agaricales
Family:Hymenogastraceae
Genus:Psilocybe
Frequently Asked Questions
- What is Allen's Psilocybe?
- Allen's Psilocybe (Psilocybe Allenii) is a mushroom species, belonging to the Hymenogastraceae family. It is studied for its biological characteristics and is documented in the ShroomSpy mycology database.
- Is Allen's Psilocybe edible?
- Psychoactive
- Is Allen's Psilocybe psychoactive?
- Allen's Psilocybe is documented as a psychoactive species. It contains psychoactive compounds that may produce mind-altering effects. Laws governing possession and use vary by jurisdiction.
- What is the scientific classification of Allen's Psilocybe?
- Allen's Psilocybe belongs to the kingdom Fungi, division Basidiomycota, class Agaricomycetes, order Agaricales, family Hymenogastraceae, genus Psilocybe. Its scientific name is Psilocybe Allenii.
About
Psilocybe allenii, commonly known as Allen’s Psilocybe, is a potent psilocybin-containing mushroom native to the West Coast of North America, especially in California, Oregon, and Washington. It thrives in urban and landscaped areas, often fruiting in wood chips and mulch beds, and is noted for its strong psychoactive effects and vigorous growth in cultivation and the wild.
History
First formally described in 2012, Psilocybe allenii was named in honor of John W. Allen, a prolific ethnomycologist and psychonaut known for his contributions to psychedelic mushroom research. Although newly classified, it had been informally observed and consumed for years, often mistaken for P. cyanescens due to their similar habitat and appearance.
It has since become a favorite among foragers and cultivators for its robust flushes, moderate to high potency, and early fruiting season (often in autumn).
Overview
P. allenii has a convex to flat cap, ranging from caramel to chestnut brown when moist, with a hygrophanous (fading) quality as it dries. The cap typically spans 2–6 cm, and the stem is whitish with occasional blue bruising. It produces a dark purple-brown spore print.
Its psychoactive effects include strong visual patterning, euphoria, emotional release, and altered perception of time and space. Its potency, ease of identification, and abundance in human-modified environments make it one of the most reliably found wild psilocybin mushrooms in the western U.S.
Physical Characteristics
Caps:
Convex to broadly convex, sometimes with a low umbo, 1-4 cm wide, reddish-brown to yellowish-brown, fading to pale ochre when dry
Gills:
Adnate to adnexed, initially pale, becoming purplish-black with age
Psychoactive Effects
Euphoric
Describing intense feelings of happiness or excitement
Perceptual
The change in the way things are perceived, including changes in time perception, spatial perception, and perception of one's own body.
Pharmacology
Helps With
Depression
Relieves symptoms of depression, improving mood and outlook
Anxiety
Helps to alleviate feelings of worry, fear, and unease
Addiction
Helps to overcome addiction and substance abuse
PTSD
Helps to alleviate symptoms of post-traumatic stress disorder
OCD
Helps to alleviate symptoms of obsessive-compulsive disorder
ADD ADHD
Helps to alleviate symptoms of attention deficit disorder and attention deficit hyperactivity disorder
Pain
Microdosing psilocybin has been shown to help with certain types of pain
Migraines
Research shows that psilocybin, the active compound in magic mushrooms, has potential therapeutic benefits for migraines. A small-scale study conducted by Yale School of Medicine found that a single dose of psilocybin reduced the likelihood of having a migraine attack in two weeks.
Possible Side Effects
Nausea
A feeling of discomfort in the stomach with an urge to vomit
Grow at Home
Start your cultivation journey with quality grow kits from independent vendors
Chemical Constituents
Medicinal Chemistry
Similar Species
Species: Psilocybe stuntzii
(Stuntz's Blue Legs)
Edibility: Psychoactive, NOT a food mushroom. Psilocybe stuntzii contains psilocybin and psilocin and is hallucinogenic; potency is low (roughly half that of Psilocybe semilanceata). CRITICAL DANGER: it is a small brown ringed mushroom that grows in the same lawns, wood chips and pastures as the deadly amatoxin-containing Galerina autumnalis (and Pholiotina filaris) — the two have been found growing entwined, side by side. Amatoxin poisoning causes delayed (6-24 hour) onset of severe vomiting and diarrhea followed by fatal liver and kidney failure; one teenager died after mistaking Galerina for a Psilocybe. The only reliable separation is spore-print color (Psilocybe = dark purple-brown; Galerina = rusty brown). Never consume wild Psilocybe stuntzii; a single misidentification can be lethal.
Key Differences: P. stuntzii typically has a more slender stem and a smaller cap compared to P. allenii.
Species: Psilocybe stuntzii
(Stuntz's Blue Legs)
Edibility: Psychoactive, NOT a food mushroom. Psilocybe stuntzii contains psilocybin and psilocin and is hallucinogenic; potency is low (roughly half that of Psilocybe semilanceata). CRITICAL DANGER: it is a small brown ringed mushroom that grows in the same lawns, wood chips and pastures as the deadly amatoxin-containing Galerina autumnalis (and Pholiotina filaris) — the two have been found growing entwined, side by side. Amatoxin poisoning causes delayed (6-24 hour) onset of severe vomiting and diarrhea followed by fatal liver and kidney failure; one teenager died after mistaking Galerina for a Psilocybe. The only reliable separation is spore-print color (Psilocybe = dark purple-brown; Galerina = rusty brown). Never consume wild Psilocybe stuntzii; a single misidentification can be lethal.
Key Differences: P. stuntzii typically has a more slender stem and a smaller cap compared to P. allenii.
Mushroom Ratings
5.0
(1)
Based on 1 Review
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★Share your thoughts
If you've consumed this mushroom, share your thoughts with our community
01/29/2025
Ruth Zota
CalmCreativityEuphoricFocusInsightfulReflectiveSpiritualVisualsDizzyHeadache
Tried Psilocybe Allenii dried and it was something else. Calm hit first, then this creativity I hadn't felt in years came flooding back. Colors popped, everything felt more vivid. Had insights about my past and started appreciating small stuff more.
Felt euphoric but still grounded - could think clearly which was nice. Really helped with my chronic anxiety and stress. Like a door opened to a part of my mind I forgot existed.
Did get dizzy and a mild headache on the comedown so be ready for that. But overall if you deal with anxiety and want something for insight and peace, this one delivered for me
References
- Kilmer, B., Priest, M., Ramchand, R., Rogers, R. C., Senator, B., & Palmer, K. (2024). Considering Alternatives to Psychedelic Drug Prohibition. RAND Corporation.
- Bhagavan, C., Kanaan, R., Carter, O., Nielsen, G., Berlowitz, D., Issak, S., Braat, S., Zaloumis, S., Attard, Z., Oliver, G., Mayne, D., McKernon, D., Roebuck, G., Rucker, J., Butler, M., & Bryson, A. (2024). Psilocybin and motor function: A triple-blind, dose-finding study in healthy participants. Psychiatric Research and Clinical Practice, 6(4), 164-174. https://doi.org/10.1176/appi.prcp.20240047
- Nayak, S., White, S., Hilbert, S., Lowe, M., Jackson, H., Griffiths, R., Garcia-Romeu, A., & Yaden, D. (2024). Psychedelic Experiences Increase Mind Perception but do not Change Atheist-Believer Status: A Prospective Longitudinal Study. Journal of Psychoactive Drugs, 57(3), 275-284. https://doi.org/10.1080/02791072.2024.2346130
- Neumann, J., Dimov, K., Azatsian, K., Hofmann, B., & Gergs, U. (2024). Effects of psilocin and psilocybin on human 5-HT4 serotonin receptors in atrial preparations of transgenic mice and humans. Toxicology Letters, 398, 55-64. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.toxlet.2024.06.006
- Khajavinia, A., Michel, D., Ezeaka, U., Purves, R., Laprairie, R., & El-Aneed, A. (2024). Addressing a major interference in the quantification of psilocin in mouse plasma: Development of a validated liquid chromatography tandem mass spectrometry method. Journal of Chromatography A, 1730, 465123. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.chroma.2024.465123
- Hudspeth, J., Rogge, K., Dörner, S., Müll, M., Hoffmeister, D., Rupp, B., & Werten, S. (2024). Methyl transfer in psilocybin biosynthesis. Nature Communications, 15(1). https://doi.org/10.1038/s41467-024-46997-z
- Seibold, P., Dörner, S., Fricke, J., Schäfer, T., Beemelmanns, C., & Hoffmeister, D. (2024). Genetic regulation of L-tryptophan metabolism in Psilocybe mexicana supports psilocybin biosynthesis. Fungal Biology and Biotechnology, 11(1). https://doi.org/10.1186/s40694-024-00173-6
- Gold, E. (2023). Psilocybin Mushrooms of Australia. United States: Independently published.
- Ley, L. (2023). Comparative acute effects of mescaline, lysergic acid diethylamide, and psilocybin in a randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled cross-over study in healthy participants. .
- Carpenter, W. (2022). The Psilocybin Mushroom Bible: A Step-by-Step Guide to Growing, Microdosing and Safely Using Magic Mushrooms.. MarkHollis.