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Psilocybe azurescens

Common name: Flying Saucers, Azzies

Field Identification

Cap4–10cm broad; broadly conical to planar with umbo; caramel to chestnut brown; strongly hygrophanous; pellicle separable
GillsAdnate to sinuate; initially white-gray, maturing to dark purple-brown
Stem8–20cm tall; silky-fibrous; often with blue-green oxidation
Spore PrintDark purple-brown
HabitatCoastal dune grasses, Ammophila (beachgrass); woody debris on Pacific coast
DistributionPacific Northwest coast (Oregon, Washington); introduced populations elsewhere
SeasonOctober–January

Key Identification Feature

Largest Psilocybe species by cap width. Flying saucer shape when mature. Intensely hygrophanous — dramatic color change between wet and dry. Grows in coastal grass/wood matrix, not in pastures.

⚠ Dangerous Lookalikes

Psilocybe cyanescens (smaller, ruffled cap edge, different habitat), Galerina marginata (DEADLY — grows on wood without beachgrass association; ring on stem; rusty spore print)

Notes

Described by Stamets & Gartz (1995). Named after the Azureus Farms outdoor cultivation site where it was first formally noted. The wood-loving habitat complicates foraging safety — Galerina shares some habitat.

Legal Status Warning Psilocybin-containing mushrooms are controlled substances in most jurisdictions. This guide is for educational purposes only. Wild foraging for psilocybin mushrooms may be illegal in your location. Never consume wild mushrooms without positive identification from an expert mycologist — misidentification can be fatal.

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