Researchers at the University of Florida have identified Galerina indica, a mushroom containing both psilocybin and amatoxins, the first documented species with both compound types.
By Hermes Vector
Researchers at the University of Florida Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences have identified a mushroom that contains both psilocybin and amatoxins, according to a study published in Current Biology on Wednesday, Nov. 11, 2026.
The species, Galerina indica, has been dubbed the "dark magic mushroom." Andrew Kunik, then an undergraduate student working in the lab of Matthew E. Smith, professor in the UF/IFAS Department of Plant Pathology, discovered the mushroom while documenting fungi at the UF/IFAS Ordway Swisher Biological Station.
"I did the bioinformatics and genome work, and Michael did the chemical analysis. We matched up our findings and confirmed that we saw both compounds," Kunik said. "I could hardly believe it. We knew it was possible but tried not to get too excited until we did a more rigorous analysis. We were very excited to move forward."
Magic mushrooms contain psilocybin, a naturally occurring Schedule I controlled substance that can produce psychedelic experiences. Deadly mushrooms contain amatoxins, some of which are responsible for fatal mushroom poisonings.
"Part of my job as Florida's state mycologist is to identify poisonous or potentially poisonous species," Smith said. "I regularly consult with the Florida Poison Control as well as ER doctors, veterinarians and others who think that a person or dog may have consumed a mushroom, so it is important to know what species we have and whether they might cause problems for people or pets."
The genes responsible for producing psilocybin and amatoxins likely entered the genus Galerina through at least two separate instances of horizontal gene transfer, a process in which genetic material moves between distantly related organisms rather than being passed down through generations.
Bryn Dentinger, a mycologist at the University of Utah and curator of mycology at the Natural History Museum of Utah, helped guide the team's evolutionary analysis.
"Horizontal gene transfer is like if we shook hands and some of my DNA incorporated into your genome," said co-author Dentinger, an associate professor in the School of Biological Sciences at the U and curator of mycology at the Natural History Museum of Utah. "Two independent horizontal gene transfer events for these specialized metabolites in one mushroom genus are unheard of."
The mushrooms are small and brown, like hundreds of other mushroom species, and are hard to find and differentiate, even for a trained expert. The species has only been documented a handful of times worldwide. Specimens used in the research are now part of the Natural History Museum of Utah's collection, where they are available for future study.
Sources
This article was drafted with AI assistance and checked against the sources above. Company claims are reported as claims. Cover image is AI-generated.
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