Howdy Mycopreneurs,
I’m writing to you from the Istanbul airport en route to Uganda 🇺🇬 for the Third Annual African Rising Mushroom Festival. I’ll be joining Aixa and Max from Mycelium Matters, Ted Anderson of Flush Crusher, Eco-Agric Uganda director Josephine Nakakande and hundreds of people from Uganda, Kenya and beyond for three days of hands on cultivation workshops, applied mycology talks, mycomaterials demos, and mushroom community spirit in the village of Hoima, Uganda. #FungiDiplomacy in full effect.
Tomorrow, Thursday, we’ll host our regularly scheduled Mycopreneur Incubator at the usual time (3 pm ET / 12 pm PT U.S.) and we’re very fortunate to have a trifecta of Colorado-based, award-winning mushroom cultivators hosting a session titled Beyond Cubes: Exotic Fungi Demystified aimed at simplifying the cultivation and research of rare and unusual psychoactive fungi. The invite to tomorrow’s Incubator is linked in the session title above and also at the bottom of this newsletter.
The proprietors of Ikigai Laboratories, Psyched Medicinals and Myco Portal have teamed up to create Panheads, a research outfit dedicated to the streamlining of exotic mushroom research and cultivation.
The name ‘Panheads’ refers to the Panaeolus mushroom genus, a distinct group of mushrooms beyond the Psilocybe genus which have at least 13 species known to produce psilocybin within their ranks. Some of the well-documented Panaeolus species that produce psilocybin are as follows:
Panaeolus cyanescens
– Also known as Copelandia cyanescens.
– One of the most potent naturally occurring psilocybin mushrooms.
– Found in tropical and subtropical regions worldwide.
Panaeolus cinctulus (formerly P. subbalteatus)
– Common and widespread; found on compost heaps, lawns, and stables.
– Mild to moderately psychoactive.
Panaeolus tropicalis
– Potent species from tropical regions.
– Often bluish-staining like P. cyanescens.
Panaeolus cambodginiensis
– Similar to P. cyanescens; originally described in Cambodia.
– Found across Southeast Asia and Oceania.
Panaeolus bisporus
– Potent and bluish species; sometimes confused with P. cyanescens.
– Found in subtropical areas.
As for other exotic species of the Psilocybe genus, we’ll be taking a look at
Psilocybe zapotecorum
Habitat: Grows in humid, shaded areas, often near rivers, ravines, and cloud forests. Found among decaying leaves, sticks, or woody debris, often at elevations between 1,000–2,000 meters.
Distribution: Primarily in southern Mexico (Oaxaca, Chiapas, Veracruz), but also reported in parts of Guatemala, Colombia, Ecuador, and Peru.
Psychoactive Chemistry
Primary alkaloids: Psilocybin, psilocin, baeocystin, and norbaeocystin
Potency: Considered moderate to strong, comparable to Psilocybe caerulescens or P. mexicana
Ethnomycology
The species name zapotecorum honors the Zapotec people of Oaxaca, who have used this mushroom ceremonially for centuries.
Traditionally employed for spiritual insight, healing, and divination.
and also
Psilocybe subtropicalis
Habitat and Distribution
Habitat: Found growing in rich, clayey soil near decaying wood, leaf litter, or grassy areas, often in humid subtropical forests.
Distribution: Known primarily from Veracruz and Oaxaca, Mexico; possibly extending into Guatemala and Central America.
Elevation: Typically between 1,000–1,800 meters.
Psychoactive Chemistry
Primary alkaloids: Psilocybin and psilocin
Potency: Moderate, comparable to Psilocybe mexicana or P. zapotecorum
Ethnomycology and Notes
Described by Gaston Guzmán in 1978 as part of his extensive work cataloguing Mexican Psilocybe species.
Morphologically, it can be confused with P. zapotecorum, though P. subtropicalis is typically smaller, more delicate, and grows in slightly warmer (subtropical) zones—hence the name.
Panheads
The flagship product from the Panheads crew is their Exotic Mushroom Substrate calibrated to help foster the cultivation of these exotic fungi. It’s currently available on their online shop.
Mycopreneur Incubator Invite
Here is the invite and info for tomorrow’s Mycopreneur Incubator titled Beyond Cubes: Exotic Fungi Demystified
Topic: Beyond Cubes: Exotic Fungi Demystified
Time: Nov 13, 2025 3:00 PM East Coast U.S. / 12:00 PM Pacific Time
Join Zoom Meeting:
Meeting ID: 860 2213 0904 Passcode: 496051
Thanks for reading the Mycopreneur Newsletter, and please spread the word to anyone you might think is interested in learning about the cutting edge of exotic mushroom research and cultivation. All are welcome and it is cost free.
See you all at the Incubator tomorrow -
DW