Psilocybe azurescens Spores: Syringes, Prints & Isolates

Psilocybe azurescens is a wood-loving species from the Pacific Northwest of the USA, described in the mid 1990s from the Columbia River estuary, where it fruits in late autumn on wood debris among dune grass. It is a cold climate species that tolerates light frost and fruits later in the year than most. The common name Azzies is hobby shorthand.

The print is purple-black, darker than cubensis, and the spores are ellipsoid, roughly 12 to 13 by 6 to 8 micrometres. The cap is caramel to chestnut with a distinct umbo, and the whole fruit bruises blue heavily. Material is sold as prints and multispore syringes from wild collections, often labelled by site. Check the species name on the label, since azurescens and cyanescens are often listed close together.

• Species: Psilocybe azurescens
• Described: mid 1990s, Columbia River, Oregon
• Spore print: purple-black
• Spores: ellipsoid, roughly 12 to 13 by 6 to 8 micrometres
• Also sold as: wild collection prints, multispore syringes