European Pluteus with greenish blue tinges: taxonomic novelties and notes on distribution, ecology and psychotropic status of Pluteus izurun

Hana Ševciková, Roman Manák, Jan Borovicka, Ida Broman Nielsen, Bálint Dima, Tobias Guldberg Frøslev, Lucie Janecková, Martin Kuchar, Gyozo Tóth & Ekaterina Malysheva

Sydowia 77: 81-92

Published online on October 28th, 2024

Some Pluteus species of section Pluteus (Pluteaceae, Agaricales) are characterized by greenish-blue tinges on a pileus and/ or stipe which usually indicates the presence of psychoactive tryptamines. In this study, we focused on three taxa of this group with unresolved taxonomy. Based on both molecular and morphological features, Pluteus salicinus var. obscurior is combined as P. cervinus f. obscurior, and P. nigroviridis is placed as conspecific or near to P. salicinus. Pluteus caeruleovirescens is not accepted in the genus as Pluteus and synonymized with Leucoagaricus leucothites. Furthermore, P. izurun, so far known only from its type locality in Spain, is reported from the Czech Republic. Chemical analysis confirmed content of psilocybin, psilocin, baeocystin, and aeruginascin in this fungus which makes P. izurun another psychoactive mushroom species in Europe.

Keywords: Pluteus glaucotinctus group, Leucoagaricus leucothites, type studies, tryptamines, psilocybin.

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