For years, scientists have thought that the world’s most widely cultivated “magic mushroom,” Psilocybe cubensis, spread globally after European colonists introduced cattle to the Americas in the 1500s. However, the identification of a new mushroom species from southern Africa may now challenge this long-standing assumption.
An international team of researchers from Africa and the United States identified a newly described species of psychedelic mushroom that is the closest known wild relative of P. cubensis. This finding suggests that the evolutionary history of “magic mushrooms” is older and more complex than previously thought. The team published the results in Proceedings of the Royal Society B.
The newly described species, Psilocybe ochraceocentrata, grows on cattle dung in the grasslands of South Africa and Zimbabwe. According to the researchers, this species diverged from P. cubensis approximately 1.5 million years ago, well before the global spread of domesticated cattle.
A Hidden Relative
Although P. cubensis is one of the most widely cultivated psychedelic mushrooms, its evolutionary origins are still not fully understood. The species was first described in Cuba in 1906 and later became popular among growers because of its strong psychedelic effects and ease of cultivation.
The researchers found that P. ochraceocentrata has been distributed under names such as “Natal Super Strength” and “Transkei” for several years, but its genetic difference from P. cubensis was not recognized until this study. Although the two mushrooms look similar, they differ in genetics, ecology, and chemical makeup.
“It’s one of the most popular strains of magic mushrooms, because it is quite potent and easy to grow,” said Breyten van der Merwe, a mycologist and PhD student at Stellenbosch University and a co-author of the study. “But until this study, nobody realised it was a totally separate species from the classic magic mushroom.”
Tracing the Evolution
Scientists analyzed DNA from samples collected in southern Africa, and from older specimens in museum collections to trace the evolutionary relationships between these two mushrooms.
The team used multi-locus phylogenetic analyses and molecular clock dating to estimate when the two species diverged from a common ancestor. Their results indicate that P. ochraceocentrata and P. cubensis last shared a common ancestor around 1.5 million years ago. Researchers also used ecological niche modeling to gain insight into the environments in which these mushrooms evolved.
Some of the first specimens of the newly described species were collected in Zimbabwe in 2013 by co-author Dr. Cathy Sharp of the Natural History Museum of Zimbabwe.
A New Perspective
This discovery has the potential to reshape scientific understanding of how psychedelic mushrooms evolved and spread across continents.
The evolutionary history of P. cubensis may be tied to much older ecological changes, rather than emerging recently as a result of human agriculture. Around the time the two species diverged, grasslands were expanding across parts of the world, and grazing animals were moving from Africa into Eurasia. The researchers propose that these ecological changes provided new opportunities for the evolution of different psychedelic mushroom species.
Africa remains one of the least studied regions in terms of fungal diversity. The researchers note that additional sampling could uncover many more previously unknown species.
Expanding Resources for Psychedelic Research
In addition to helping clarify the history of P. cubensis, this discovery provides scientists with new genetic material to better understand psychedelic mushrooms. Research on psilocybin-producing fungi has increased in recent years as scientists study their chemistry and explore potential medical uses.
Scientists aim to better understand how psychedelic compounds evolved over time and how these fungi adapted to diverse environments by identifying new species and mapping their evolutionary relationships. For now, the identification of Psilocybe ochraceocentrata offers one of the clearest clues yet about the origin of this well-known psychedelic lineage.
Austin Burgess is a writer and researcher with a background in sales, marketing, and data analytics. He holds a Master of Business Administration, a Bachelor of Science in Business Administration, and a Data Analytics certification. His work combines analytical training with a focus on emerging science, aerospace, and astronomical research.