Wild Species Bluing ✓ Potency: ★★☆☆☆

Psilocybe cyanofibrillosa

Common name: Blue-Haired Psilocybe, Rhododendron Psilocybe

Field Identification

Cap0.5-2cm; convex to broadly convex; tan to light brown; silky-fibrillose when dry; hygrophanous
GillsAdnate; initially pale, darkening to purple-brown; close
Stem3-6cm; slender; pale; distinctive silky fibrous texture; blue staining when handled
Spore PrintDark purple-brown; ellipsoid, 9-12 x 5-7 um
HabitatSandy soils along streams and rivers; under alder, willow, cottonwood
DistributionPacific Northwest USA (Washington, Oregon) and British Columbia
SeasonOctober through December

Key Identification Feature

Distinctive silky fibrils on cap surface, especially young specimens. Riparian (streamside) sandy soil habitat. Blue staining on all parts. Small size.

⚠ Dangerous Lookalikes

Psilocybe stuntzii (urban wood chips, slightly larger); Galerina marginata (DEADLY, same general region, grows on wood); Conocybe species (rusty spores, no bluing)

Notes

Relatively rare Pacific Northwest species formally described in the 1970s. Found along river banks and sandy riparian soils, a distinct habitat from most other Pacific Northwest Psilocybe species. Low to moderate potency (0.2-0.5% psilocybin estimated).

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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