Psilocybe niveotropicalis

ABSTRACT

Psilocybe niveotropicalis is described as a new, bluing, wood-rotting species from Florida, USA with a uniquely variable spore morphology including a high proportion of deeply apically cleft spores in hymenial mounts. Morphological features place it in Psilocybe section Stuntzae while multilocus phylogenetic analysis places it in or sister to Psilocybe section Caerulescentes (≡ Section Cubensae), close to P. ovoideocystidiata, P. wayanadensis, P. thaiaerugineomaculans, and P. thaiduplicatocystidiata. This new species can be distinguished by its lighter pileus coloration, fruiting body stature, distribution, highly variable and novel spore morphology, and DNA sequence (nrITS, nrLSU, rpb1, rpb2, tef1). A full macro- and microscopic description of P. niveotropicalis is provided along with photographs of fresh specimens, phylogenetic analysis, and an HPLC-UV determination of the tryptamine alkaloid composition.