Psilocybe Species Directory
A directory of Psilocybe species and related psilocybin-containing fungi covered on this site, with checked scientific names, synonyms and links to each profile.
Content last updated . This page has not been medically reviewed.
Safety first. Supplements can cause side effects and interact with medicines. Read mushroom safety and interactions before you use any mushroom product.
Urgent first. If someone has eaten a wild mushroom and is confused, very agitated, vomiting repeatedly, has chest pain, a seizure or trouble breathing, call 911 or US Poison Help at 1-800-222-1222. See poisoning: what to do first.
This directory is about names and taxonomy only. It does not describe what any species looks like, where it grows or how to recognize it, and a species name is never a safety assurance. See why photos and names are not safety assurances.
How big is the genus?
A 2024 genome study counted about 165 species of Psilocybe and said the group's taxonomy remains substantially incomplete. [1] New species are still being described; two were added from southern Africa in 2024. [2] Names below were checked against the GBIF Backbone Taxonomy on 2026-10-22. All are listed there as accepted names. Other databases and papers may differ, and psilocybin content within any species varies; see psilocybin mushroom chemistry and research limits.| Scientific name (authority) | Family in GBIF | Profile |
|---|---|---|
| Psilocybe cubensis (Earle) Singer | Hymenogastraceae | Profile |
| Psilocybe semilanceata (Fr.) P.Kumm. | Hymenogastraceae | Profile |
| Psilocybe cyanescens Wakef. | Hymenogastraceae | Profile |
| Psilocybe azurescens Stamets & Gartz | Hymenogastraceae | Profile |
| Psilocybe mexicana R.Heim | Hymenogastraceae | Profile |
| Psilocybe tampanensis Guzman & S.H.Pollock | Hymenogastraceae | Profile |
| Psilocybe natalensis Gartz, D.A.Reid, M.T.Sm. & Eicker | Hymenogastraceae | Naming questions |
| Panaeolus cyanescens Sacc. | Bolbitiaceae | Profile |
Species notes
Psilocybe cubensis. GBIF accepts Psilocybe cubensis (Earle) Singer and lists older names including Stropharia cubensis Earle as synonyms. [3] A 2025 review discusses many commercial "strain" names of this species, which are community labels and not scientific categories. [4] See commercial mushroom names.Psilocybe semilanceata. GBIF accepts Psilocybe semilanceata (Fr.) P.Kumm. and lists many older names, such as Agaricus semilanceatus Fr. and Panaeolus semilanceatus. [5] The long synonym list shows how often fungal names have been moved between genera.
Psilocybe cyanescens. GBIF accepts Psilocybe cyanescens Wakef., published in 1946, and lists only a spelling variant, P. cyanascens, as a synonym. [6] The similar name of Panaeolus cyanescens is a separate species in a different family, a reminder that similar names are not the same organism.
Psilocybe azurescens. GBIF accepts Psilocybe azurescens Stamets & Gartz, published in 1995, with no synonyms listed. [7]
Psilocybe mexicana. GBIF accepts Psilocybe mexicana R.Heim and lists several names as synonyms, including P. armandii and P. galindoi. [8] Whether such names are truly the same organism is a taxonomic judgment that can change.
Psilocybe tampanensis. GBIF accepts Psilocybe tampanensis Guzman & S.H.Pollock, published in 1978. [9] For sclerotia, see psilocybin truffles.
Psilocybe natalensis. GBIF accepts Psilocybe natalensis Gartz, D.A.Reid, M.T.Sm. & Eicker, published in 1995. [10] Questions about how it relates to other names are covered on its own page.
Panaeolus cyanescens. Not a Psilocybe. GBIF accepts Panaeolus cyanescens Sacc. in the family Bolbitiaceae and lists synonyms including Copelandia cyanescens (Sacc.) Singer. [11]
Other species and cultural context
Other psilocybin-containing fungi are grouped on other psilocybin-containing fungi. A species with deep cultural roots is Psilocybe zapotecorum, described in a 2024 paper as a strongly blue-bruising psilocybin mushroom used by Indigenous groups in southeastern Mexico and beyond. [12] That paper reports psilocybin ranging from 10.6 to 25.7 mg/g across seven samples of one strain, which is a measurement of those samples only. [12] We do not have a separate profile for it here.Traditional use does not prove effectiveness, and this page does not describe ceremonies.
Evidence labels used here
- Accepted names and synonyms: checked in one database (GBIF); other databases (Index Fungorum, MycoBank) were not read, so cross-database agreement is not verified.
- Effects, strength or safety of any listed species: Proper evidence not found for species-level comparison; we do not rank species.
Related pages
See the genus overview psilocybin mushrooms and the compound page psilocybin.Frequently asked questions
How many Psilocybe species are there?
A 2024 genome study used a figure of about 165 and called the taxonomy substantially incomplete. [1]
Are all psilocybin-containing fungi in the genus Psilocybe?
No. Panaeolus cyanescens belongs to a different family, and psilocybin production appears to have spread to some other mushroom groups. [11][1]
Is one species safer or stronger than another?
Proper evidence not found. Amounts vary within species and between samples. [13]
Why do some species have many names?
Fungi have often been moved between genera as science changed. GBIF lists many older names for P. semilanceata. [5]
Can I use this list to identify a mushroom?
No. It contains no descriptions, and names are not safety assurances. NIDA warns of mistaking toxic mushrooms for psilocybin ones. [14]
References
- Phylogenomics of the psychoactive mushroom genus Psilocybe and evolution of the psilocybin biosynthetic gene cluster. Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A 2024. Read 2026-10-22.
- van der Merwe B et al. A description of two novel Psilocybe species from southern Africa and some notes on African traditional hallucinogenic mushroom use. Mycologia 2024. Read 2026-10-22.
- GBIF Secretariat, GBIF Backbone Taxonomy, Psilocybe cubensis (Earle) Singer, record read through the GBIF API. Read 2026-10-22.
- Kurzbaum E et al. Exploring Psilocybe cubensis Strains: Cultivation Techniques, Psychoactive Compounds, Genetics and Research Gaps. J Fungi (Basel) 2025 (review; an erratum was published in 2026). Read 2026-10-22.
- GBIF Secretariat, GBIF Backbone Taxonomy, Psilocybe semilanceata (Fr.) P.Kumm., record read through the GBIF API. Read 2026-10-22.
- GBIF Secretariat, GBIF Backbone Taxonomy, Psilocybe cyanescens Wakef., record read through the GBIF API. Read 2026-10-22.
- GBIF Secretariat, GBIF Backbone Taxonomy, Psilocybe azurescens Stamets & Gartz, record read through the GBIF API. Read 2026-10-22.
- GBIF Secretariat, GBIF Backbone Taxonomy, Psilocybe mexicana R.Heim, record read through the GBIF API. Read 2026-10-22.
- GBIF Secretariat, GBIF Backbone Taxonomy, Psilocybe tampanensis Guzman & S.H.Pollock, record read through the GBIF API. Read 2026-10-22.
- GBIF Secretariat, GBIF Backbone Taxonomy, Psilocybe natalensis Gartz, D.A.Reid, M.T.Sm. & Eicker, record read through the GBIF API. Read 2026-10-22.
- GBIF Secretariat, GBIF Backbone Taxonomy, Panaeolus cyanescens Sacc. and its synonyms list, read through the GBIF API. Read 2026-10-22.
- Miller DR et al. Cultivation, chemistry, and genome of Psilocybe zapotecorum. J Psychedelic Stud 2024. Read 2026-10-22.
- Gotvaldová K et al. Stability of psilocybin and its four analogs in the biomass of the psychotropic mushroom Psilocybe cubensis. Drug Test Anal 2021. Read 2026-10-22.
- National Institute on Drug Abuse, Psilocybin (Magic Mushrooms). Read 2026-10-22.