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Psilocybe zapotecorum

Common name: Zapotec Psilocybe

Field Identification

Cap2-6 cm, convex to broadly umbonate, hygrophanous, dark chestnut-brown to pale tan
GillsAdnate to sinuate, grayish to dark purple-brown, close
Stem5-12 cm, whitish to pale, hollow, often with partial veil remnants, bruises blue
Spore PrintEllipsoid, 10-14 x 6-8 um, dark purple-brown spore print
HabitatWet tropical forest margins, stream banks, disturbed areas with organic matter
DistributionOaxaca and adjacent Mexican states, Central America
SeasonJune-October (rainy season)

Key Identification Feature

Tropical highland Mexico; stream bank habitat; pronounced umbo; Zapotec cultural use

⚠ Dangerous Lookalikes

Psilocybe mexicana (smaller, dung habitat); Psilocybe caerulescens (similar region, different ecology)

Notes

Used by Mazatec and Zapotec peoples in traditional ceremonies. One of the larger Mexican Psilocybe species. R. Gordon Wasson documented its ceremonial use in Oaxaca in the 1950s.

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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