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Pajarito (Psilocybe mexicana), photo
Photo
Psilocybe

PajaritoPsilocybe mexicana

Psilocybe mexicana is a psychoactive mushroom documented in Mexico and Guatemala. It grows in moist meadows; its ceremonial history and role in the isolation of psilocybin explain interest in this species.[1][3][4]

Psychoactive: controlled substance in Mexico. For information only. Never eat a wild mushroom identified only from photos.

  • Season in Mexico
  • HabitatMoist meadows and moss
  • FamilyHymenogastraceae

How do you identify Pajarito?

Pajarito (Psilocybe mexicana), features to identify it
Photo: Alan Rockefeller, CC BY 4.0, iNaturalist (cropped) · Puebla, MX
Photo
Pajarito (Psilocybe mexicana), features to identify it
Photo: Ricardo Betancourt Sánchez, CC BY 4.0, iNaturalist (cropped) · Jal., México
Cap
Conical; CONABIO gives an average size of 3 cm.[1]
Gills
Pale gray with whitish edges; broadly or narrowly attached to the stem.[3]
Stem
Hollow; CONABIO gives an approximate length of 12 cm.[1][3]
Blue bruising
The cap develops blue tones when damaged.[3]
Odor
Flour-like.[1]

What happens if someone eats Pajarito?

A controlled psychoactive mushroom, excluded from food use. Avoid consuming wild mushrooms identified from photographs.[8][12][13]

Where and when does Pajarito grow?

Moist meadows, moss, and grassy areas bordering forests. It occurs alone or in small groups.[1]

Fruiting months in Mexico await confirmation from a specific Mexican source.[1]

CONABIO identifies potential distribution in these states. The species is also documented in Guatemala.[1][3]

Baja CaliforniaBCSonoraSONChihuahuaCHHCoahuilaCOANuevo LeónNLBaja California SurBCSSinaloaSINDurangoDURZacatecasZACSan Luis PotosíSLPTamaulipasTAMNayaritNAYJaliscoJALAguascalientesAGSGuanajuatoGTOQuerétaroQROHidalgoHGOColimaCOLMichoacánMICEstado de MéxicoMEXCiudad de MéxicoCDMXTlaxcalaTLXVeracruzVERYucatánYUCGuerreroGROMorelosMORPueblaPUETabascoTABCampecheCAMQuintana RooROOOaxacaOAXChiapasCHP
States with records (5/32): Jalisco, Michoacán, Veracruz, Morelos, Puebla

See the mushroom map

In Mexico, the Ley General de Salud lists psilocybin, psilocin, and hallucinogenic mushrooms in Article 245, section I; it explicitly names Psilocybe mexicana. Articles 248 and 249 establish prohibitions and authorizations for scientific research. Psilocybin and psilocin appear in Schedule I of the United Nations Convention on Psychotropic Substances of 1971. Traditional ceremonial use is documented in Mexico.[13][14]

Fun facts

  • The scientific name was published under Roger Heim's authorship in 1957.[2]
  • Hofmann's work connected this species to the isolation and identification of psilocybin.[4]

Frequently asked questions

[1]

[8]

[4]

[13]

[11][12]

Sources

  1. Pajarito (Psilocybe mexicana) — CONABIO
  2. Psilocybe mexicana R.Heim — GBIF Backbone Taxonomy
  3. Hongos psilocibínicos: un análisis farmacológico, toxicológico y su consecuencia legal
  4. Psilocybe mexicana
  5. Alcaloides en la cultura: plantas y hongos alucinógenos mexicanos
  6. María Sabina
  7. Gastón Guzmán (1932-2016)
  8. Tripping on shrooms: What does the science tell us?
  9. Human hallucinogen research: guidelines for safety
  10. [Automutilation after consumption of hallucinogenic mushrooms]
  11. First aid: Act fast!
  12. Mushroom poisoning: Don't invite "the death angel" to dinner
  13. Ley General de Salud
  14. Green List — List of Psychotropic Substances under International Control
  15. Galerina marginata at Indiana Mushrooms
  16. Galerina marginata — MushroomExpert.Com
  17. Mushroom Poisoning Syndromes

Written with AI help from the cited sources. A second model checked every fact against those sources and removed what they did not support.

Image credits

Photos are under free licenses (CC0, CC BY or CC BY-SA).

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