Psilocybe cubensis
A plain-language species profile of Psilocybe cubensis: its name and history, the chemistry researchers have measured, what is and is not known, and the risks of mistaking one mushroom for another.
Content last updated . This page has not been medically reviewed.
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Documented analytical data
Each group below is one study's measurement of the stated specimen or preparation. It is not a typical value for the species or product, varies between specimens, and says nothing about effects or safety. 29 values from 4 sources.
Goff R, Smith M, Islam S, Sisley S, et al., Schug KA. Determination of psilocybin and psilocin content in multiple Ps... (5 values)
Source: Goff R, Smith M, Islam S, Sisley S, et al., Schug KA. Determination of psilocybin and psilocin content in multiple Psilocybe cubensis mushroom strains using LC-MS/MS. Anal Chim Acta 2024;1288:342161. doi:10.1016/j.aca.2023.342161. Abstract read 2026-10-22. Laboratory: Dept of Chemistry and Biochemistry, University of Texas at Arlington (secondary lab: Millipore-Sigma). Method: LC-MS/MS (Shimadzu LCMS-8050), deuterated internal standards. Date: not reported in abstract (published 2023-12-18 online).
| Specimen or preparation | Analyte | Value | What it is | Sample size and scope |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Psilocybe cubensis, strain 'B+ (B-Plus)' (strain name as supplied), dried whole fruiting bodies, Scottsdale Research Institute supply | psilocybin + psilocin (sum) | 1.134 % (w/w) (dried intact mushrooms (as received)) | mean (reported) | 3. dataset: average of 3 individually analysed mushrooms |
| Psilocybe cubensis, strain 'Blue Meanie' (strain name as supplied), dried whole fruiting bodies, Scottsdale Research Institute supply | psilocybin + psilocin (sum) | 1.221 % (w/w) (dried intact mushrooms (as received)) | mean (reported) | 3. dataset: average of 3 individually analysed mushrooms |
| Psilocybe cubensis, strain 'Creeper' (strain name as supplied), dried whole fruiting bodies, Scottsdale Research Institute supply | psilocybin + psilocin (sum) | 1.36 % (w/w) (dried intact mushrooms (as received)) | mean (reported) | 3. dataset: average of 3 individually analysed mushrooms |
| Psilocybe cubensis, strain 'Texas Yellow' (strain name as supplied), dried whole fruiting bodies, Scottsdale Research Institute supply | psilocybin + psilocin (sum) | 1.103 % (w/w) (dried intact mushrooms (as received)) | mean (reported) | 3. dataset: average of 3 individually analysed mushrooms |
| Psilocybe cubensis, strain 'Thai Cubensis' (strain name as supplied), dried whole fruiting bodies, Scottsdale Research Institute supply | psilocybin + psilocin (sum) | 0.879 % (w/w) (dried intact mushrooms (as received)) | mean (reported) | 3. dataset: average of 3 individually analysed mushrooms |
Gotvaldova K, Hajkova K, Borovicka J, Jurok R, Cihlarova P, Kuchar M. Stability of psilocybin and its four analogs in... (3 values)
Source: Gotvaldova K, Hajkova K, Borovicka J, Jurok R, Cihlarova P, Kuchar M. Stability of psilocybin and its four analogs in the biomass of the psychotropic mushroom Psilocybe cubensis. Drug Test Anal 2021;13(2):439-446. doi:10.1002/dta.2950. Abstract read 2026-10-22. Laboratory: Forensic Laboratory of Biologically Active Substances, University of Chemistry and Technology Prague. Method: UHPLC-MS. Date: varies by row.
| Specimen or preparation | Analyte | Value | What it is | Sample size and scope |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Psilocybe cubensis fruiting-body caps | total tryptamine alkaloids (sum as reported) | 1.03 wt.% (not stated in abstract) | reported value (reported) | not stated in abstract. group value in abstract; individual fruiting bodies are highly variable (difference to stipes not statistically significant) |
| Psilocybe cubensis fruiting-body stipes | total tryptamine alkaloids (sum as reported) | 0.52 wt.% (not stated in abstract) | reported value (reported) | not stated in abstract. group value in abstract; difference to caps not statistically significant |
| Psilocybe cubensis mycelium (only psilocin detected) | psilocin | 0.47 wt.% (not stated in abstract) | reported value (reported) | not stated in abstract. single preparation/sample, as stated in abstract |
Gotvaldova K, Borovicka J, Hajkova K, Cihlarova P, Rockefeller A, Kuchar M. Extensive Collection of Psychotropic Mush... (10 values)
Source: Gotvaldova K, Borovicka J, Hajkova K, Cihlarova P, Rockefeller A, Kuchar M. Extensive Collection of Psychotropic Mushrooms with Determination of Their Tryptamine Alkaloids. Int J Mol Sci 2022;23:14068. doi:10.3390/ijms232214068. Read 2026-10-22. Laboratory: not stated in the excerpt read (authors Gotvaldova, Kuchar et al.; UHPLC-MS/MS Agilent 1290/6460). Method: UHPLC-MS/MS (Agilent 1290 Infinity + 6460 triple quad, C18), methanol/0.5% acetic acid extraction. Date: not reported in source (as read).
| Specimen or preparation | Analyte | Value | What it is | Sample size and scope |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Psilocybe cubensis, wild-collected fruiting bodies (as named in source) | aeruginascin | 0.026 mg/g (dry weight (whole fruiting bodies, cap + stipe; dried at no more than about 40 C by collectors)) | lowest value of range (reported) | 9 fruiting bodies / 4 collections. range across 9 fruiting bodies from 4 collection(s) (whole fruiting bodies, individual-specimen values; no mean reported) |
| Psilocybe cubensis, wild-collected fruiting bodies (as named in source) | aeruginascin | 0.053 mg/g (dry weight (whole fruiting bodies, cap + stipe; dried at no more than about 40 C by collectors)) | highest value of range (reported) | 9 fruiting bodies / 4 collections. range across 9 fruiting bodies from 4 collection(s) (whole fruiting bodies, individual-specimen values; no mean reported) |
| Psilocybe cubensis, wild-collected fruiting bodies (as named in source) | baeocystin | 0.139 mg/g (dry weight (whole fruiting bodies, cap + stipe; dried at no more than about 40 C by collectors)) | lowest value of range (reported) | 9 fruiting bodies / 4 collections. range across 9 fruiting bodies from 4 collection(s) (whole fruiting bodies, individual-specimen values; no mean reported) |
| Psilocybe cubensis, wild-collected fruiting bodies (as named in source) | baeocystin | 0.881 mg/g (dry weight (whole fruiting bodies, cap + stipe; dried at no more than about 40 C by collectors)) | highest value of range (reported) | 9 fruiting bodies / 4 collections. range across 9 fruiting bodies from 4 collection(s) (whole fruiting bodies, individual-specimen values; no mean reported) |
| Psilocybe cubensis, wild-collected fruiting bodies (as named in source) | norbaeocystin | 0.044 mg/g (dry weight (whole fruiting bodies, cap + stipe; dried at no more than about 40 C by collectors)) | lowest value of range (reported) | 9 fruiting bodies / 4 collections. range across 9 fruiting bodies from 4 collection(s) (whole fruiting bodies, individual-specimen values; no mean reported) |
| Psilocybe cubensis, wild-collected fruiting bodies (as named in source) | norbaeocystin | 0.161 mg/g (dry weight (whole fruiting bodies, cap + stipe; dried at no more than about 40 C by collectors)) | highest value of range (reported) | 9 fruiting bodies / 4 collections. range across 9 fruiting bodies from 4 collection(s) (whole fruiting bodies, individual-specimen values; no mean reported) |
| Psilocybe cubensis, wild-collected fruiting bodies (as named in source) | psilocin | 0.208 mg/g (dry weight (whole fruiting bodies, cap + stipe; dried at no more than about 40 C by collectors)) | lowest value of range (reported) | 9 fruiting bodies / 4 collections. range across 9 fruiting bodies from 4 collection(s) (whole fruiting bodies, individual-specimen values; no mean reported) |
| Psilocybe cubensis, wild-collected fruiting bodies (as named in source) | psilocin | 5.344 mg/g (dry weight (whole fruiting bodies, cap + stipe; dried at no more than about 40 C by collectors)) | highest value of range (reported) | 9 fruiting bodies / 4 collections. range across 9 fruiting bodies from 4 collection(s) (whole fruiting bodies, individual-specimen values; no mean reported) |
| Psilocybe cubensis, wild-collected fruiting bodies (as named in source) | psilocybin | 0.651 mg/g (dry weight (whole fruiting bodies, cap + stipe; dried at no more than about 40 C by collectors)) | lowest value of range (reported) | 9 fruiting bodies / 4 collections. range across 9 fruiting bodies from 4 collection(s) (whole fruiting bodies, individual-specimen values; no mean reported) |
| Psilocybe cubensis, wild-collected fruiting bodies (as named in source) | psilocybin | 3.509 mg/g (dry weight (whole fruiting bodies, cap + stipe; dried at no more than about 40 C by collectors)) | highest value of range (reported) | 9 fruiting bodies / 4 collections. range across 9 fruiting bodies from 4 collection(s) (whole fruiting bodies, individual-specimen values; no mean reported) |
Rodriguez L, Morera G, Lupo S, Davyt D, Carrera I, Hernandez Dossi G. Novel qNMR Method to Quantify Psilocybin and Ps... (11 values)
Source: Rodriguez L, Morera G, Lupo S, Davyt D, Carrera I, Hernandez Dossi G. Novel qNMR Method to Quantify Psilocybin and Psilocin in Psychedelic Mushrooms. ACS Omega 2025;10(46):55725-55732. doi:10.1021/acsomega.5c07092. Read 2026-10-22. Laboratory: Universidad de la Republica, Montevideo, Uruguay (Laboratorio de Sintesis Organica / NMR lab / Instituto de Biologia). Method: 1H qNMR (psilocin) and 31P qNMR (psilocybin), cross-checked by LC-MS/MS on a subset. Date: samples donated Mar 2023 - Feb 2025 (RA collected 2022); analysis date not stated.
| Specimen or preparation | Analyte | Value | What it is | Sample size and scope |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Psilocybe cubensis, sample named 'B+' (name as given by donor), dried fruiting bodies | psilocin | 0.36 % (w/w) (dry weight) | reported value (reported) | not stated. single specimen/sample (replicate count for this table not stated in text) |
| Psilocybe cubensis, sample named 'Cambodian' (name as given by donor), dried fruiting bodies | psilocin | 0.16 % (w/w) (dry weight) | reported value (reported) | not stated. single specimen/sample (replicate count for this table not stated in text) |
| Psilocybe cubensis, sample named 'Cambodian' (name as given by donor), dried fruiting bodies | psilocybin | 0.033 % (w/w) (dry weight) | reported value (reported) | not stated. single specimen/sample (replicate count for this table not stated in text) |
| Psilocybe cubensis, sample named 'Golden Teacher' (name as given by donor), dried fruiting bodies | psilocin | 0.05 % (w/w) (dry weight) | reported value (reported) | not stated. single specimen/sample (replicate count for this table not stated in text) |
| Psilocybe cubensis, sample named 'Golden Teacher' (name as given by donor), dried fruiting bodies | psilocybin | 0.25 % (w/w) (dry weight) | reported value (reported) | not stated. single specimen/sample (replicate count for this table not stated in text) |
| Psilocybe cubensis, sample named 'Libelula' (name as given by donor), dried fruiting bodies | psilocin | 0.098 % (w/w) (dry weight) | reported value (reported) | not stated. single specimen/sample (replicate count for this table not stated in text) |
| Psilocybe cubensis, sample named 'Libelula' (name as given by donor), dried fruiting bodies | psilocybin | 0.056 % (w/w) (dry weight) | reported value (reported) | not stated. single specimen/sample (replicate count for this table not stated in text) |
| Psilocybe cubensis, sample named 'RA' (name as given by donor), dried fruiting bodies | psilocin | 0.016 % (w/w) (dry weight) | reported value (reported) | not stated. single specimen/sample (replicate count for this table not stated in text) |
| Psilocybe cubensis, sample named 'RA' (name as given by donor), dried fruiting bodies | psilocybin | 0.44 % (w/w) (dry weight) | reported value (reported) | not stated. single specimen/sample (replicate count for this table not stated in text) |
| Psilocybe cubensis, sample named 'Thai Pink Buffalo' (name as given by donor), dried fruiting bodies | psilocin | 0.13 % (w/w) (dry weight) | reported value (reported) | not stated. single specimen/sample (replicate count for this table not stated in text) |
| Psilocybe cubensis, sample named 'Thai Pink Buffalo' (name as given by donor), dried fruiting bodies | psilocybin | 0.14 % (w/w) (dry weight) | reported value (reported) | not stated. single specimen/sample (replicate count for this table not stated in text) |
Safety first
If someone has eaten a wild or unknown mushroom, or a child has eaten any mushroom, call US Poison Help at 1-800-222-1222 or 911 for an emergency (see poison help by country). This page is education only. It does not help anyone find, identify, grow, prepare or use this fungus, and it does not say any mushroom is safe.What it is
Psilocybe cubensis is a species of fungus in the family Hymenogastraceae (order Agaricales). The accepted name in the GBIF taxonomic backbone is Psilocybe cubensis (Earle) Singer. [1] Older names for the same fungus include Stropharia cubensis Earle and Stropharia cyanescens Murrill. [2] A 2026 paper says it was first described from Cuba in 1906. [3]This page covers the organism. The compound it makes is covered in the psilocybin guide and the psilocin guide. A species, a compound and a commercial name are three different things.
Where the species came from
How this fungus spread is still debated. The prevailing view, described in a 2026 study, is that it reached the Americas when cattle were introduced about 1500 CE, while its ancestor lived in Africa. The same study described a close African relative, Psilocybe ochraceocentrata, and estimated the two last shared an ancestor about 1.5 million years ago. Both are associated with the dung of large plant-eating animals. [3] The authors note that the species is cultivated worldwide. [3]What researchers have measured
Researchers have found psilocybin to be the main tryptamine (a family of compounds that includes psilocybin) in this species. One 2026 laboratory study measured 14 strains grown under the same conditions, dried and analyzed together. Total tryptamine levels differed more than 7.8-fold between strains (2.62 to 20.65 mg per gram), and individual mushrooms within one strain varied too (coefficients of variation for psilocybin from 12.81% to 23.39%). [4]These are measurements of dried fruiting bodies from specific cultivated strains in one lab. They are not a "typical" strength for the species, and nobody should read them as a guide to what a particular mushroom contains. The authors themselves say this variation makes standardizing whole-mushroom preparations hard. [4]
A separate 2022 study examined museum specimens and found psilocybin and psilocin decayed in ways that depended on the species and on time, with some specimens holding none that could be detected. It also reported that the metabolome (the full set of small molecules a fungus makes) of cultivated P. cubensis possibly includes thousands of uncharacterized compounds. [5]
What research shows in people
Label: insufficient evidence for the whole mushroom. A 2026 perspective article states that current research focuses only on isolated psilocybin rather than the whole mushroom. [6] The same article reviews preclinical studies (animal and cell work only), which cannot be transferred to people. Clinical trials of psilocybin as a medicine are covered in psychedelic clinical trials and their limits. Proper evidence not found for clinical trials of whole P. cubensis mushroom; we checked PubMed and the sources listed below.Risks
Case reports and small series document harms from eating psilocybin-containing mushrooms, though they cannot show how common they are. In one Polish series about a related species (Psilocybe semilanceata), four people had hallucinations; one developed a psychosis-like episode, and symptoms faded in about 6 hours without organ damage. [7] A Danish review warns that intoxication can be confused with panic or euphoria, and that more serious mushroom poisoning can happen when a mushroom is misidentified. [8]Naming and identification limits
A 2022 study re-examined 94 museum specimens by DNA and concluded that, apart from a few well-known species, the accuracy of specimen names is largely unreliable. [5] Names such as "strain" labels are commercial or informal; see commercial mushroom names and why photos and names are not safety assurances.Legal status
Rules differ widely and change. We have not verified any country's law on this page. See psychedelic legal status by country. This is not legal advice.Related guides
The Psilocybe species directory lists the other profiles, including Psilocybe semilanceata.Frequently asked questions
Is Psilocybe cubensis the same as psilocybin?
No. Psilocybe cubensis is a fungus. Psilocybin is one compound it makes. [4]
Is the strength of this mushroom known?
Not as a single number. Measured levels varied more than 7.8-fold between 14 strains grown under the same conditions, and also between mushrooms of one strain. [4]
Has the whole mushroom been tested in clinical trials?
Proper evidence not found. A 2026 perspective says research focuses on isolated psilocybin. [6]
Can I tell this species from poisonous ones by looking?
This site cannot offer that assurance. Misidentification is a documented problem even among specialist collections. [5]
References
- GBIF Secretariat. GBIF Backbone Taxonomy record: Psilocybe cubensis (Earle) Singer, accepted, family Hymenogastraceae. Read 2026-10-22.
- GBIF Secretariat. GBIF synonyms of Psilocybe cubensis. Read 2026-10-22.
- Bradshaw AJ et al. Discovery of the closest free-living relative of the domesticated 'magic mushroom' Psilocybe cubensis in Africa. Proc Biol Sci 2026. Read 2026-10-22.
- Sharchaton A et al. Surprising Variability in Tryptamine Profiles of Psilocybe cubensis Fruiting Bodies. J Fungi 2026. Read 2026-10-22.
- Bradshaw AJ et al. DNA Authentication and Chemical Analysis of Psilocybe Mushrooms Reveal Widespread Misdeterminations in Fungaria and Inconsistencies in Metabolites. Appl Environ Microbiol 2022. Read 2026-10-22.
- Ona G et al. Time to embrace the whole: considering the replacement of psilocybin with Psilocybe spp. in psychedelic research and therapy. Nat Prod Res 2026. Read 2026-10-22.
- Satora L et al. Poisonings resulting from the ingestion of magic mushrooms in Kraków. Przegl Lek 2005. Read 2026-10-22.
- Lassen JF et al. Hallucinogenic psilocybine containing mushrooms. Toxins contained in Danish wild mushrooms. Ugeskr Laeger 1990 (Danish; English abstract). Read 2026-10-22.