Scientific name: Psilocybe mexicana R. Heim
Family: Hymenogastraceae
Habitat: Subtropical forests and grasslands in Mexico and Central America
Active compounds: Psilocybin, psilocin
Notable use: Source for early psilocybin isolation by Albert Hofmann (1950s)
Psilocybe mexicana is a psilocybin-producing mushroom species native to Central and South America. Known for its role in traditional Mazatec religious ceremonies, it contains psychoactive compounds such as psilocybin and psilocin that induce altered states of consciousness. The species was crucial to early modern research into hallucinogenic fungi.