The origin of Penis Envy: what's known and what's mythology
234 replies · Strain Discussion
The Penis Envy strain has more mythology around it than almost any other cubensis variety. The Terence McKenna origin story, the Steven Pollock isolation claim, the story of how it escaped the lab. How much of the commonly told story is actually documented and how much is internet folklore?
What's reasonably well-documented: the strain emerged in the early 1970s mycology community. Terence McKenna is connected to the story but exactly how is unclear. Steven Pollock (a Texas physician and mycologist) is generally credited with isolation work. Beyond that, most specific details are unverified anecdote.
The 'stolen from a secret Amazonian plantation' part of the story is almost certainly mythology. McKenna himself gave different accounts at different times. What's clear is that the genetic work to produce the distinct PE phenotype was done by skilled cultivators in the US underground mycology scene, not discovered in the Amazon.
The documented fact: PE is genetically distinct from other cubensis strains in ways that produce the characteristic thick stem, underdeveloped cap, and higher potency. Whether it's a natural variant or human-selected mutation doesn't affect what it is today. The origin story is interesting but shouldn't matter much for cultivation purposes.
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