Psilocybe Galindoi is another one of the rare mexicana mushrooms strains that produce psilocybin enriched sclerotia also referred to as “magic truffles” or “philosopher stones”. The sclerotia are small nuggets that grow under the soil and is a survival mechanism for the fungi. If conditions get bad and the surrounding mycelia network gets damaged or dies, the sclerotia lies dormant for the conditions to be favorable again and then sends out new mycelium from the sclerotia to continue the organisms life cycle. These magic truffles grow quite easily in nature, in fact they are easier to produce then the actual mushrooms. In 2008 the Netherlands banned psilocybin mushrooms in the famous coffee shops, but not the magic truffles. These magic truffles are still shipped throughout Europe legally and grow kits are sold openly.  

Recent DNA analysis by Dr. Guzman’s daughter Laura has revealed that the Galindoi is actually a variety of the ps. mexicana and so it’s proper name is ps. mexicana var. galindoi. A paper will be published soon which will be reclassifying about 180 psilocybe mushrooms to about 85.

Originally the galindoi was thought to be ps. atlantis so you might see this strain called ATL #7 or atlantis in certain references online. Original spores for this species was sent to us from Mexico by Rainer. He picked the mushrooms near Huatla de Jimenez Mexico (think history Maria Sabina) along with some ps. zapotecorum spores he sent us. We quietly released the spores and they have been spread around the globe since then. We had sent some of the spores to our friends in Amsterdam who were supplying the coffee shops and the galindoi magic mushrooms and magic truffles were a big hit. At the time, the galindoi was the best sclerotia producer of all the available psilocybin mushroom sclerotia producers. You can paritially thank us that magic truffles are so popular in Amsterdam to this day, but we are merely the messengers sending God's legal spores to the far reaches of the world. It was the dedciated mushroom growers who continued to make it avaialabe legally in the coffee shops who deserve the credit. 

One problem with the Dutch growers of Amsterdam though is they are making up crazy names for sclerotia producers and not keeping true to origin. The magic truffles, philosopher stones actually are only produced by a few strains of Mexicana, yet they have about 12 listed of crazy names. It's just a marketing ploy to sell more grow kits, but I assure you there is only 4 strains of Mexicana that actually produce sclerotia.

Besides the few strains of mexicana that produce sclerotia, another famous gourmet mushroom "morels" also produce sclerotia. Morels chase forest fires. After a fire within that year of the fall season,in the right conditions,  morel mushrooms show up. How do they do this? Because the sclerotia has been dorment under the soil and waiting for favorable conditoins. Another famous fungi that is sclerotia is "truffles". It's the most expensive fungi on the planet for its very aromatic smell that people love. Food for thought.

In nature the ps. mexicana var. galindoi grows in well manured pastures but never directly on the dung. Typically found in horse or cattle pastures among grass. It’s usually found in temperature ranges from 65F to 85F in sub tropical climates.

The spores from all the sclerotia producing mushrooms are a real treat for anyones collection.