Deconica coprophila

Deconica coprophila, commonly known as the dung-loving psilocybe, meadow muffin mushroom,^[2] or dung demon, is a species of mushroom in the family Strophariaceae.

Deconica coprophila
Scientific classification
Domain:	Eukaryota
Kingdom:	Fungi
Division:	Basidiomycota
Class:	Agaricomycetes
Order:	Agaricales
Family:	Strophariaceae
Genus:	Deconica
Species:	D. coprophila
Binomial name
Deconica coprophila (Bull.) P.Karst (1821)
Synonyms[1]
Agaricus coprophilus Bull. (1793) Psilocybe coprophila (Bull.) P.Kumm. (1871) Stropharia coprophila (Bull.) J.E. Lange (1936)

Taxonomy

First described as Agaricus coprophilus by Jean Baptiste François Pierre Bulliard in 1793,^[3] it was transferred to the genus Psilocybe by Paul Kummer in 1871.^[4] In the first decade of the 2000s, several molecular studies showed that the Psilocybe was polyphyletic,^[5][6][7] and the non-bluing (non-hallucinogenic) species were transferred to Deconica.^[8]

Description

The hemispherical cap is up to 2.5 centimetres (1 in) wide, red then orangish, usually with a hygrophanous central blotch. The gills are adnate, pale then purplish with white edges. The stem is up to 4 cm (1+1⁄2 in) long and 3 millimetres (1⁄8 in) thick and darker near the base. The spore print is purplish-brown.^[9]

Similar species

It resembles D. merdaria, Agrocybe pediades, Panaeolus cinctulus, and members of Protostropharia.^[9]

Habitat and distribution

The species grows on cattle dung^[10] in much of North America (generally from July to September; December to May on the West Coast).^[9]

Potential uses

While non-toxic, the species is not a good edible mushroom.^[11]

Despite the common name of the 'dung-loving psilocybe', this species does not contain psilocybin and has no psychedelic properties.