isolation

The moniker “Psilocybe Fanaticus” may initially appear scientific, resembling that of the species Psilocybe cubensis; however, it is not so. It is instead the nickname of Robert McPherson and a variety of P. cubensis he bred, also identified as the PF Classic. The PF in the well-known PF Tek refers to McPherson as well.

While PF Classic is indeed a classic cubensis variety and a favorite among users, it is not grown as commonly. Like P. cubensis in general, it is physically diverse, with a stem that may be short or tall, thick or thin, spongy or fibrous. The veil remains intact until the mushroom is fully mature, allowing growers to wait until the mushrooms are quite large before harvesting without spreading spores everywhere.

As a naturally variable species, P. cubensis has a multitude of variations that have been found, isolated, named, and cultivated as separate strains. The species also grows in the wild across much of the globe wherever its preferred food source, the feces of large mammals, is found. Whatever the strain, it is among the most sought-after hallucinogenic mushrooms worldwide and is usually the species referred to by terms such as “shrooms” or “magic mushrooms.” There are other contenders, other species that include the same active component, psilocybin, as well as others that contain moscimol, a wholly distinct hallucinogen that causes a different kind of experience when ingested.