Breyten van der Merwe from Stellenbosch University with his collection of mushrooms in the department of microbiology. Photo: Supplied/Stefan Els
Exciting news for mushroom enthusiasts and bushveld explorers! Two new species of psychedelic mushrooms have been discovered in South Africa. These fascinating fungi, belonging to the Psilocybe family, are known for their mind-altering effects.
South Africa now boasts eight wild Psilocybes, thanks to this discovery by a team of citizen scientists and researchers from Stellenbosch University. The newly discovered species are Psilocybe ingeli and Psilocybe maluti.
Psilocybe ingeli was found in KwaZulu-Natal pastures in 2023 by Talan Moult, a dedicated citizen mycologist. Psilocybe maluti was discovered in 2021 on a property in the Free State by Daniella Mulder, who sent photos to South African mycology expert Andrew Killian for identification. Both species underwent DNA analysis at Stellenbosch University, where postgraduate student Breyten van der Merwe led the research in Professor Karin Jacobs' lab.
Interestingly, Psilocybe maluti has been found in pastures on cow manure in the Free State, KwaZulu-Natal, and the highlands of Lesotho. The study suggests that traditional healers in Lesotho might be using Psilocybe maluti in their practices, potentially marking the first documented use of psychedelic mushrooms in traditional African medicine. Citizen scientist Cullen Taylor Clark collaborated with Mosotho healer Mamosebetsi Sethathi to explore the local use of Psilocybe maluti, known as koae-ea-lekhoaba.
Van der Merwe believes there are likely many more wild Psilocybe species waiting to be discovered, and citizen scientists play a crucial role in this endeavor. "These two species were sent to me by citizen scientists. It would be impossible for a single researcher to cover a fraction of the area these mushroom enthusiasts have access to. This is the only way we will be able to further studies in African mycology," he says.
Professor Jacobs concurs: "There are only a handful of mycologists in Africa documenting local biodiversity. Considering the vast mycological diversity on the continent, it is a daunting task. Collaborating with citizen mycologists is therefore hugely beneficial. In addition to more material, collaboration also opens avenues for conversation and exploration, which can lead to documenting mycophilia (the love of mushrooms) on the African continent.
Exciting news for mushroom enthusiasts and bushveld explorers! Two new species of psychedelic mushrooms have been discovered in South Africa. These fascinating fungi, belonging to the Psilocybe family, are known for their mind-altering effects.
South Africa now boasts eight wild Psilocybes, thanks to this discovery by a team of citizen scientists and researchers from Stellenbosch University. The newly discovered species are Psilocybe ingeli and Psilocybe maluti.
Psilocybe ingeli was found in KwaZulu-Natal pastures in 2023 by Talan Moult, a dedicated citizen mycologist. Psilocybe maluti was discovered in 2021 on a property in the Free State by Daniella Mulder, who sent photos to South African mycology expert Andrew Killian for identification. Both species underwent DNA analysis at Stellenbosch University, where postgraduate student Breyten van der Merwe led the research in Professor Karin Jacobs' lab.
Interestingly, Psilocybe maluti has been found in pastures on cow manure in the Free State, KwaZulu-Natal, and the highlands of Lesotho. The study suggests that traditional healers in Lesotho might be using Psilocybe maluti in their practices, potentially marking the first documented use of psychedelic mushrooms in traditional African medicine. Citizen scientist Cullen Taylor Clark collaborated with Mosotho healer Mamosebetsi Sethathi to explore the local use of Psilocybe maluti, known as koae-ea-lekhoaba.
Van der Merwe believes there are likely many more wild Psilocybe species waiting to be discovered, and citizen scientists play a crucial role in this endeavor. "These two species were sent to me by citizen scientists. It would be impossible for a single researcher to cover a fraction of the area these mushroom enthusiasts have access to. This is the only way we will be able to further studies in African mycology," he says.
Professor Jacobs concurs: "There are only a handful of mycologists in Africa documenting local biodiversity. Considering the vast mycological diversity on the continent, it is a daunting task. Collaborating with citizen mycologists is therefore hugely beneficial. In addition to more material, collaboration also opens avenues for conversation and exploration, which can lead to documenting mycophilia (the love of mushrooms) on the African continent.
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