Introduction
The Penis Envy mushroom strain is a strain that is shrouded in mystery. Strange, as his eponymous form is anything but mysterious. It is a highly sought-after mushroom - not only for its novel appearance - but it is also known to be one of the most potent strains of the Psilocybe cubensis genus. Thus, we know that it looks like a penis. And, we know that as a Psilocybe type of mushroom, it is hallucinogenic. Many connoisseurs say that it is one of the best cubensis.
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| Penis Envy mushroom strain |
Mysterious Origins
Well, his story is spotty, at best. Mycologist John Allen proposes that brothers Terence and Dennis McKenna found the precursors to Penis Envy. This would have been in the early 1970s during an expedition to the Amazon. The story goes that they were looking for a mysterious shaman in the rain forest when they came across the (relatively) phallic fungus growing in the dung of zebu cattle. Impressed and probably amused by its shape, they insisted on collecting some of its spores to return to the United States.
Vital Statistics: How to spot this mushroom
To identify a Psilocybe cubensis 'Penis Envy', check the following:
Cap: Dome-shaped. Unlike the normal P. cubensis, the cap does not tend to open, as it has been bred to keep the shape more like a penis. Color varies from light gold to cinnamon brown.
Galls: Like a normal cubensis in theory, however, the malformed mini-hood and swollen stem mean they tend to grow tight. The gills darken when it produces spores.
Spores: Due to this being a mutation, most Penis Envy fungi are (ironically) sterile, meaning they do not produce spores. If you are lucky, you can collect spores by rubbing a cotton swab or something similar on the gills inside the cap.
Stem: Very thick compared to a normal cubensis. Fleshy and white to cream in color. Some are said to grow up to 30 cm.
Taste and Smell: The taste and smell of Penis Envy are the same as Psilocybe cubensis - described as mealy, meaning "starch-containing." It is similar to freshly ground flour.
Can I eat it: It is edible but hallucinogenic. Penis Envy mushrooms are believed to be up to 50% more potent than regular Psilocybe cubensis. So proceed with more caution, up to 50%.
Find it: You won't find it in the wild. This mushroom can only be bought or given away.
When: If your PF Tek conditions are perfect, all year round.
Family: Hymenogastraceae
Genre: Psilocybe
Species: cubensis
Tail: Penis Envy!
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| Penis Envy mushroom strain |
Dennis and Terence McKenna (via Wikipedia Commons)
The next rumor we build on is this: Famed mycologist Steven Pollock receives a spore sample labeled "Amazonian" by one Terence McKenna. Without giving it much thought, he sprinkles them in a jar of manure (as a mycologist, I guess you have them laying around...) and sets them aside to grow. Now Pollock was incredibly well versed in mushrooms of all kinds (he had even been the first to identify Psilocybe tampanesis), but even he was amazed at the mushroom that grew from his jar. Now, all mushrooms look a bit like the Penis - but this one, Pollock could see, could be NSFW with a bit of help from his mycology knowledge to isolate genes. This became his obsession. Slave over the mushrooms, picking only the largest and phallic from each crop, he finally achieved his goal.
He cut off the lid like a pseudocircumcision. He then took a spore print, which he sent to Washington state. Very soon after this, Pollack was murdered under extremely suspicious circumstances. This tragedy has only increased the mystery and gossip surrounding the Penis Envy fungus in the intervening years.
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| Penis Envy mushroom strain |
Fungal spore print
A sighting of the elusive fungus
Shortly after Pollock's death, mycologist Richard Gee received the much-prized spore print. It was labeled "Penis. Gee, another character we know very little about, apparently kept his new acquisition a secret, further 'refining' it by making it more pitiful. For years, as nothing more was said of the Penis Envy strain, Those who had heard the rumors assumed that he had died with Pollock. However, in Gee's self-published book, extremely recognizable phallic mushrooms can be seen on the cover, growing in a tank. Although the book mentions precisely nothing about the Penis strain, this unnoticed (or was it?) pictorial evidence helps us trace the murky timeline of this fungus.
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| Penis Envy mushroom strain |
The secret was out
Eventually, a little over twenty years after Pollock's untimely demise, mycologists began to receive spores and Gee samples from his perfected baby. Quickly, the secret of Penis Envy was revealed.
Confusingly, the McKennas' surviving brother, Dennis, denies any responsibility for the fungus. But the legends persist...
Due to its laboratory origin, it is doubtful that a Penis Envy mushroom can be found in nature, let alone survive. However, this does not mean that it will not be necessary to identify him one day... So let's see the statistics of this young mutant.
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