Content
Sulfur head is a mushroom from the genus Psilocybe, its Latin name is Hyphaloma cyanescens. It is a hallucinogenic specimen, so collecting it is not recommended. Severe penalties are imposed in many countries for the possession and distribution of hallucinogenic mushrooms. Regular consumption of sulfur head is dangerous for the psyche and physical health.
What does a sulfur head mushroom look like?
The cap of the brimstone head is small, its diameter does not exceed 5 cm. In young specimens it is cone-shaped, and as it grows it takes the shape of a bell or pear. The edges can be flat or curved upward.
The color of the cap of the sulfur head is yellow. When it rains, the color turns chestnut. In places of damage you can see bluish spots.
The mushroom cap is smooth, elastic, and becomes sticky in wet weather; older specimens show increased fragility.
The spore-bearing layer is colored cinnamon, becomes red-brown with age, and purple-black spots may appear.
The height of the stalk of the sulfur head ranges from 2.5 to 10 cm, the diameter is from 3 to 6 mm. The leg is slightly curved, with a noticeable thickening in the lower part. The color of the leg is white at the top and honey-amber at the bottom. In dry weather, a bluish tint may be present.
The leg is fragile, its surface is covered with silky fibers.
Where does the sulfur head mushroom grow?
Grows singly or in small groups, selects fallen trees, old stumps, damp depressions with grass. Sulfur head can be found in deciduous, coniferous and mixed forests.
Appears in August, the last specimens can be seen before the onset of frost in December.
The distribution area of sulfur head is the European part of Russia, Belarus, Ukraine, North Africa.
Is it possible to eat sulfur head mushroom?
Consumption of hallucinogenic species, which include brimstone, is fraught with mental changes. The effect on the body is comparable to that of the drug LSD.
Symptoms of poisoning
The first symptoms appear very quickly. If the dish is eaten on an empty stomach, only a quarter of an hour passes before signs of poisoning appear. If you eat brimstone after a heavy meal, it may take about two hours for symptoms to appear.
The main signs indicating the use of hallucinogenic species:
- Stupefaction, turning into delirium.
- It may seem to a person that time has stopped or accelerated.
- There is a feeling of space variability.
- Color perception is impaired.
- Vision and hearing become sharper.
- There is a feeling that consciousness is leaving the brain.
- The effect on the body can cause both positive and negative emotions. If you feel unwell, aggression, anger, and irritability may appear.
Not only does the human brain suffer, his consciousness changes, mood swings are possible, but the most dangerous thing is the disruption of the internal organs (liver, kidneys and heart).
First aid for poisoning
A person under the influence of brimstone is dangerous to others. His clouded consciousness may react inappropriately, so the patient must be isolated.
You can remove the dish from the stomach by lavage. To do this, the victim is given several glasses of warm water to drink at once, after which vomiting occurs and the remaining food comes out.
If a person is unconscious, vomiting cannot be caused, otherwise he may choke.
Sulfur head poisoning does not require medical intervention, but in some cases detoxification is necessary. Droppers reduce clinical symptoms and eliminate headaches.
If a person has a craving for repeated use of sulfur head, it is advisable to show him to a psychiatrist. Treatment of mental dependence should be carried out as early as possible.
Existing doubles
The brimstone has similar species. They are also hallucinogenic, but less dangerous, because their content of toxic substances is much lower.
Similar varieties:
- Psilocybe papillary at a young age it is very similar in appearance to the sulfur head, but with age its cap remains bell-shaped, and in the sulfur mushroom it becomes flattened. The species is inedible and has a hallucinogenic effect on the human body.
- Paneolus fringe has a reddish-brown cap that turns black when wet. The leg is thin and velvety. The smell is mealy and unpleasant. It can be distinguished from brimstone by its place of growth. Paneolus most often lives in dung heaps and pastures. The low content of psilocybin allows mushrooms to be used as food after preliminary boiling.
Conclusion
Sulfur head is a hallucinogenic mushroom containing psilocybin. In many countries, its collection and distribution is punishable by law.
