[1] In 1907, it was identified as Naematoloma caerulescens in Tonkin (now Vietnam) by French pharmacist and mycologist Narcisse Théophile Patouillard,[2] while in 1941, it was called Stropharia cyanescens by William Alphonso Murrill near Gainesville in Florida.

[5][6] The name Psilocybe is derived from the Ancient Greek roots psilos (ψιλος) and kubê (κυβη),[7] and translates as "bare head".

The narrow grey gills are adnate to adnexed, sometimes seceding attachment, and darken to purplish-black and somewhat mottled with age.

[8] The well-developed veil leaves a persistent white membranous ring whose surface usually becomes the same color as the gills because of falling spores.

[12] Psilocybe cubensis is a pan-tropical species,[4] occurring in the Gulf Coast states and southeastern United States, Mexico, in the Central American countries of Belize, Costa Rica, Panamá, El Salvador and Guatemala, the Caribbean countries Cuba, the Dominican Republic, Guadalupe, Martinique, and Trinidad, in the South American countries of Argentina, Bolivia, Brazil, Colombia, French Guiana, Paraguay, Uruguay and Peru, Southeast Asia,[15] including Thailand,[12] Vietnam, Cambodia and Malaysia, India, Australia, Fiji, and possibly Nepal and Hawaii.

[12] Along with other fungi that grow on cow dung, P. cubensis is thought to have colonized Australia with the introduction of cattle there, 1800 of which were on the Australian mainland by 1803—having been transported there from the Cape of Good Hope, Kolkata and the American west coast.

[10] In March 2018, several Psilocybe cubensis specimens were collected in Zimbabwe in the Wedza District of Mashonaland East province, approx.

[16] Because Psilocybe cubensis is intimately associated with cattle ranching,[17] the fungus has found unique dispersal niches not available to most other members of the family Hymenogastraceae.

Of particular interest is the cattle egret (Bubulcus ibis), a colonizer of Old World origin (via South America), whose range of distribution overlaps much of that of Psilocybe cubensis.

The cow usually consumes grains or grass covered with the spores of Psilocybe cubensis and the fungus will begin to germinate within the dung.

First, spores are inoculated within sterilized jars or bags, colloquially known as grainspawn, containing a form of carbohydrate nutrient such as rye grains.

[19] After approximately one month, the spores fully colonize the grain spawn forming dense mycelium, which is then planted within a substrate such as a coconut husk fiber and vermiculite mixture.

[20] Given proper humidity, temperature, and fresh air exchange, the substrate will produce fruiting Psilocybe cubensis bodies within a month of planting.

To preserve potency after harvesting, growers often dehydrate the fruit and store them in air-tight containers in cool environments.

[21] Studies were conducted where an environmentally controlled wind tunnel and a computer program were used to determine the influence of humidity on the individual basidiocarps of Psilocybe cubensis which aided in mapping their growth and development.

Unlike cereal grains used in bulk growing, brown rice flour contains no bacterial endospores, a contamination vector requiring a pressure cooker to sterilize.

Bulk growing allows cultivators to operate on a larger scale, but require a greater investment of time, money, and knowledge.

Bulk substrates are frequently a mix of coir, vermiculite and gypsum due to not requiring pasteurization or sterilization.

The study concluded that the levels of psilocybin and psilocin vary by over a factor of four in cultures of Psilocybe cubensis grown under controlled conditions.

Upon examination, it was revealed that jars of honey containing psychedelic mushrooms were being sold at Dutch coffee shops.

Individual body composition, brain chemistry and psychological predisposition play a significant role in determining appropriate doses.

[32] Another method of ingestion known as "Lemon Tekking" involves combining pulverized Psilocybe cubensis with a concentrated citrus juice with a pH of ~2.

However, this claim is not substantiated by the literature on the metabolism of psilocybin, as dephosphorylation is known to be mediated by the enzyme alkaline phosphatase in humans.

Visual distortions often occur, including walls that seem to breathe, a vivid enhancement of colors, and the animation of organic shapes.

[citation needed] The effects of high doses can be overwhelming depending on the particular phenotype of cubensis, grow method, and the individual.