Content
Stropharia shit (Kakashkin's bald spot) is a rather rare species of mushrooms, the growth area of which is extremely limited. Other names for stropharia: Psilocybe coprophila, fly agaric, shit fly agaric. A distinctive feature of this mushroom is that its fruiting body contains a large amount of the hallucinogenic substance - psilocybin.
What does Stropharia shit look like?
Stropharia shit is a small mushroom, its height rarely exceeds 7 cm. Most often, the fruiting body grows only 4-5 cm in height.
The spore powder of this species is brown with a purple tint, sometimes almost black, and the spores are smooth. Young stropharia shit spore powder is grayish-brown in color.
Description of the cap
The cap of this species can reach 2.5 cm in diameter, however, on average its size is only 1-1.5 cm. At the initial stage of development, its shape is hemispherical, however, as it develops, the cap becomes convex. In young mushrooms, the lower edge is folded inward, but then it gradually straightens.
The color of the cap varies from light brown to dark brown tones with an admixture of red. The older the fruiting body, the lighter its color.
The surface of the cap is hygrophanic, slightly sticky to the touch. In wet weather the surface shines. Young specimens are distinguished by the radial radiance of the cap - its plates are slightly translucent.
Description of the leg
The leg of Geophila shit can have a length of about 3-7 cm, while the diameter does not exceed 4-5 mm. The shape of the leg is straight, but may be slightly curved at the base. Its structure is fibrous. In young fruiting bodies, the stem is usually covered with small white scales.
The color of the leg varies from white to yellowish-brown. The plates are adherent and quite wide, but they are located infrequently. They are grayish-brown in color, but over time the plates darken.
In general, the leg of this species is quite brittle and hard, the surface is smooth and dry to the touch.
Is the mushroom edible or not?
Geophila shit is an inedible species. Its pulp contains a large amount of neurotoxins that provoke strong hallucinations. Moreover, eating dishes made from this mushroom quickly causes drug addiction.
The effects of psilocybin occur on average 30 minutes after ingestion. The hallucinogenic effect lasts 2-4 hours.
Where and how does it grow
Stropharia shit is most often found in manure heaps and grows both singly and in groups. The prevalence of the species is low; discovering it is very rare. The period of active growth occurs in August-September. In warm regions, this variety can be harvested until early December.
Doubles and their differences
Geophila shit has at least three counterparts that are dangerous to human health. Most often it is confused with the following varieties:
- stropharia hemispherical;
- Paneolus bell-shaped;
- Psilocybe Montana.
Stropharia hemispherical also grows next to large accumulations of manure, however, its stem is slimy and more yellow. In general, its fruiting body is lighter than that of its relative. In addition, this species does not have radial stripes on the cap, that is, the plates on the underside are invisible.
This species is not suitable for consumption as the substances it contains cause strong hallucinogenic reactions.
Paneolus (bell-shaped dung beetle), unlike the bald poop, always has a dry cap and spotted plates. In addition, its cap is somewhat more elongated than that of Geophila shit.
Paneolus contains large amounts of psilocybin, a substance that is a powerful hallucinogen, which is why it is classified as an inedible variety.
Psilocybe Montana (or Psilocybe montana) is distinguished from geophila by mechanical damage - the fruiting body of the latter should not turn blue when exposed to it.
Psilocybe Montana should not be eaten - the pulp of this subspecies contains a high proportion of hallucinogenic substances.
Conclusion
Stropharia shit (Kakashkin's bald spot) is a small mushroom, but extremely dangerous. Eating dishes made from stropharia parasite does not lead to immediate death, however, the concentration of hallucinogenic substances in it is very high. The component psilocybin contained in the pulp causes clouding of consciousness within 10-20 minutes, and regular consumption of stropharia in food leads to drug addiction. In large quantities, this species can be fatal.
You can learn more about what shit stropharia looks like from the video below:
