Psilocybe semilanceata?

[Lancashire Lad]

Found today in grassy upland field (heavy soil).
Caps about 10-12mm across, stipes about 70mm tall.
I'm thinking they are Psilocybe semilanceata, but would be grateful for confirmation/other. (and no I didn't, and nor would I have any intention of eating any. ).


Regards,
Mike.

[mollisia]

Hello Mike,

looks strongly like those bad bad shrooms!

best regards and happy weekend

Andreas

P.S.: Of course you didn't EAT them - they want to be celebrated, not eaten

P.P.S.: those three are far to few ....

[Lancashire Lad]

Thanks Andreas - (I would rather get my eating mushrooms on a trip to the supermarket ).

Regards,
Mike.

Edited to remove uninteded info.

[NickCantle]

Originally Posted by mollisia

Hello Mike,

looks strongly like those bad bad shrooms!

best regards and happy weekend

Andreas

P.S.: Of course you didn't EAT them - they want to be celebrated, not eaten

P.P.S.: those three are far to few ....

P.P.P.S - Andreas, you'll get in trouble! SHHHH!

[mollisia]

Originally Posted by NickCantle

P.P.P.S - Andreas, you'll get in trouble! SHHHH!

Me ????
But did I pick those ???

best,
Andreas

[NickCantle]

Originally Posted by mollisia

Me ????
But did I pick those ???

best,
Andreas

Ok, ok, you win

[thelawnet]

Do you have a grid reference?

Seriously, they are Class A drugs, although you are allowed to posses them for "the purpose of destroying the fungus as soon as is reasonably practicable".

Picking psilocin-containg mushrooms is legal:

"Where the magic mushrooms are picked in order to either destroy them as soon as is reasonably practicable (purpose of destruction) or deliver them as soon as is reasonably practicable to a person (including a police officer) lawfully entitled to take custody of them (purpose of delivery) and are then held, whether by the person who picked them or by another person, for and in accordance with the purpose of destruction
OR
Where the magic mushrooms are picked in order to destroy them as soon as is reasonably practicable (purpose of destruction) and then held, whether by the person who picked them or by another person, for and in accordance with the purpose of delivering them as soon as is reasonably practicable to a person lawfully entitled to take custody of them (purpose of delivery).

This enables any person to –
• pick mushrooms for the purpose of delivery or destruction and to hold them or pass them to another person to hold for and in accordance with the purpose of destruction, or
• pick mushrooms for the purpose of destruction and to hold them or pass them to another person to hold for and in accordance with the purpose of delivery.
In this way, there is scope for these persons to change their mind as to whether they are going to destroy the mushrooms or deliver them into lawful custody. There is also scope for the person who picked the mushrooms to pass the mushrooms to another person and for such persons to pass the mushrooms on (covering farm workers, for example) so long as the mushrooms are held for and in accordance with the relevant purpose (delivery or destruction)."

"Any person can pick magic mushrooms for either the purpose of delivery or destruction, or acquire magic mushrooms picked for such purposes, so long as he holds them for and in accordance with either of those purposes."

It seems it would be quite reasonable to take the mushrooms home with you, for destruction there (it doesn't appear that 'jumping on the mushrooms' is a method of destruction that the Home Office anticipate, so it's reasonable to bring them home with you)

As regards picking them unidentified, you would have to be unknowing, so I think it would be a clear offence for a mycological society to pick them for display purposes:

"Proof of lack of knowledge is also a defence. Section 28 would apply, for example, where a person who picks magic mushrooms in the wild without knowing that they are magic mushrooms can prove that he neither believed nor suspected nor had reason to suspect that the fungi in question were a controlled drug."

OTOH, if you an individual came home with a basket full of mixed common mushrooms etc. and happened to pick these as part of their trip (er, maybe not the best word to use), then lack of knowledge would seem a reasonable defence.

You could also get a licence to study them:

"Regulation 2(3) of the 2005 Regulations inserts a fungus containing psilocin or an ester of psilocin into Schedule 1 to the 2001 Regulations, enabling the Secretary of State to issue a licence under regulation 5 of the 2001 Regulations in respect of the production, supply, offer to supply or possession of those fungi – normally for research purposes, but some exhibitors may also benefit."

[NickCantle]

That said, if you've got a camera full of images of mushrooms, you're knee deep in grass photographing them and you've got books on mushrooms on you, blind eyes can be turned- trust me

[thelawnet]

Originally Posted by NickCantle

That said, if you've got a camera full of images of mushrooms, you're knee deep in grass photographing them and you've got books on mushrooms on you, blind eyes can be turned- trust me

I just had a look at one of the 'magic mushroom' forums, and half the posts seem to be chanterelles, agaricus, etc. - so I don't think an interest in illegal mushrooms is necessarily exclusive with possesion of microscope, a copy of Funga Nordica, and a camera full of boletus photos.

[mollisia]

Hello,

interesting laws you have there!
Destroying be eating them is legal, as far as I understand? At least I cannot read any word about how they have to be destroyed ...

best regards,
Andreas