Emily Chan
A combination of structural and DNA analyses were performed in order to confirm the mushrooms were new species.
The researchers carefully examined the mushrooms’ physical features under powerful microscopes. Then, they sequenced certain regions of DNA to compare them with known Psilocybe species.
The study also mentions the role of birds in dispersing the spores of P. maluti. The mushroom’s indigenous name, koae-ea-lekhoaba, translates to “powdered tobacco of the crow.” This suggests a link between the mushrooms and the bird species in the area.
More research is needed to learn about the connection, but it could change scientists’ understanding of how fungi spread and interact with their surroundings.
The research highlights the importance of exploring fungal diversity, particularly in understudied regions like Africa.
As therapeutic uses of psilocybin become more popular, further investigations into psychedelic mushrooms will be very informative and worthwhile.
The study was published in the journal Mycologia.
