I photographed these Psilocybe cubensis to illustrate what I think is herbivory (and I'm always prepared to be wrong). A chemist colleague of mine was chatting about the origin of psilocybin to deter insects, but I think that hypothesis requires testing.
Maybe knowledge of who eats Psilocybe now can shed light on why psilocybin evolved. Whether it was a deterrent or an attractant to help spread spores is something I would give anything to know :). A complex gene pathway that has evolved convergently and been acquired horizontally indicates there is an evolutionary advantage to produce psilocybin. I've also wondered whether cows mistakenly hoover up stray mushrooms from long grass. I can imagine they would, and a farmer thought his cows went 'loopy' every so often. Surely humans aren't the only beneficiaries of psilocybin.
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Designer Shrooms @ Funky Fungus on 1st July 2023
I started a gig at Funky Fungus as Chief Scientific Officer to make designer shrooms Our research on Psilocybe
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