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Blue Meanies Mushrooms: What Are They

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John Carter
Blue Meanies Mushrooms: What Are They

Panaeolus cyanescens, more commonly known as Blue Meanies Mushrooms, belong to the genus called Panaeolus. These are small in size, feature black-colored pores and known to grow on dung. The Panaeolus genus comprises of as many as thirteen different species that create a hallucinogenic chemical called psilocybin. Panaeolus mushrooms are also referred to as ‘mottlegills’ owing to the presence of irregular patches or spots on their grills.

Panaeolus cyanescens happens to be a mushroom with several names. In fact, there are so many names that making a list would be a task in itself. In Greek, ‘Panaeolus’ translates to ‘all variegated’, referring to the spotted texture of the fungi. Cyanescens comes from the word cyaneus that means blue. This is because when the flesh gets bruised, it turns blue.

The most popular name for Panaeolus cyanescens, of course, is ‘Blue Meanies’. There is a particular theory which states that this ‘Blue Meanies’ name was derived from Yellow Submarine, a psychedelic film featuring The Beatles. This mushroom variety was previously known as Copelandia cyanescens. This one is known to grow on woods. These days, it is more popularly known as ‘Pan cyan’.

Many believe that Panaeolus cyanescens originated somewhere in Asia. This fungus is a part of Coprinaceae, the same clan which Coprinus comatus comes from. It must be noted that the mushrooms belonging to the Panaeolus genus have certain standout properties. Panaeolus’ gills, for instance, are known for never getting melted away. The same can be said about Coprinopsis and Coprinellus, which are referred to being its lookalikes.

While growing in the ground, Panaeolus cyanescens sport an off-white or light grey color. When they are young and have not matured completely, the caps tend to be light brown in color. Slowly, the color starts withering away and they acquire an off-white color. There is also a chance of them acquiring a brownish or yellowish tone with time. The diameter of the caps ranges from 0.5 to 2 centimeters. Initially, they have a hemispheric shape which slowly evolves into a convex shape.

The gills of Panaeolus cyanescens tend to be close and are greyish or black in color. They also have many spots on them and bear a ‘cloudy appearance’ as a result of the spores ripening cumulatively in small patches on the surface of the gill. The patches acquire a darker shade slowly and start looking blotched. Once the pores get matured, you can see the gills turning black.

The stem is 7-12 centimeters long and has a thickness of 2-3 millimeters. Just like the cap, the stem has a distinctive color to it and is coated in white powder. The flavor and smell of the mushrooms bear some similarity to farinaceous or flour.

John Carter is the author of this article. For further detail about Blue Meanies Mushrooms please visit the website.

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