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LIBERTY CAPS

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NAME : PSILOCYBE MUSHROOM


GAELIC NAME : ? 

 

LATIN NAME : Psilocybe semilanceata


COMMON/FOLK NAMES : Liberties, Liberty Caps, Mushshrooms, Shrooms.


FAMILY : Agaricaceae.


PLACES OF ORIGIN : Ireland, Scotland, Wales, England & other places in Europe.


HABITAT : Can be found almost everywhere, in fields, on hillsides, on mountainsides, on golf courses, village greens, sports fields, and gardens. They prefer a south facing slope with wet soil.


DESCRIPTION: This fungi is known for its 'Breast or Tit' like shape. The mushroom has a crooked stem with a cone shaped cap, with a nipple in the middle. Grows in clumps sometimes hundreds per square meter. Is a brown colour when first out, fading to a yellow then to a Gold or golden yellow when dry. Life span is from 3 to 4 days with more coming up to replace those that die.


FLOWERING PERIOD : Can be found on mountain tops from the end of July if it has been a wet year. Will spread down into the low lands as the ground get wetter from August onwards. The mushroom will move down off the mountain side and hillsides into the low lands as the climate gets colder to go completely with the first frost. Around the middle of October. Can sometime continue to be found in low-land areas  up until the middle of November if it is a mild Autumn. 

When picking, the stem should be cut so as the removal of the root does not take place. All the fungi in an area are a few oraginisms which is mainly the root systems and damage can cause the death of the root system and therfore the loss of the fungi over a large area.


PROPERTIES : Stimulant, Mind Expander



There are many extremely deadly species which can appear very similar to non-toxic species.

 

MAGICAL PROPERTIES

GENDER : Female
PLANET : Venus
ELEMENT : Air

POWERS : Love, Prophecy, Sexual Magic

RITUAL USES
This fungi was widely used by the ancient Druids of Ireland. It was used in the potion taken by the Celtic warriors before they went into battle. It was also used in all astral projection spells. In the sweat houses to help communicate with the Earth and Universe or the Otherworld.

MAGICAL USES

Carry some dried liberty caps to attract lovers.

Illustration by Arthur Rackham for Alice in Wonderland (use of mushrooms for intoxication was well known in Victorian times.)

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 Last Updated - August 3, 2023

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