bioRxiv (Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory)
December 7, 2024
Alexander J. Bradshaw, Cathy Sharp, B. van der Merwe et al.
2 citations
preprint
The closest wild relative of the widely cultivated magic mushroom Psilocybe cubensis has been discovered in sub-Saharan Africa and named Psilocybe ochraceocentrata. DNA analysis of type specimens and multi-locus phylogenetic and molecular clock dating show the two species last shared a common ancestor about 1.5 million years ago (range 710,000 to 2.55 million years ago), long before cattle domestication or modern humans appeared. This refutes the long-held hypothesis that P. cubensis was introduced to the Americas via cattle brought from Africa around 1500 CE. Both species grow on herbivore dung, which likely pre-adapted P. cubensis to specialize on domesticated cattle dung. Ecological niche modeling indicates the species have been present across Africa, Asia, and the Americas over the last 3 million years.
Proceedings of the Royal Society B Biological Sciences
March 11, 2026
Alexander J. Bradshaw, Cathy Sharp, B. van der Merwe et al.
The psychedelic mushroom Psilocybe cubensis, first described from Cuba in 1906, was long thought to have been introduced to the Americas with cattle from Africa and Europe around 1500 CE. A new cryptic species, Psilocybe ochraceocentrata, has been discovered in sub-Saharan Africa as the closest wild relative of P. cubensis. DNA analysis of African Psilocybe specimens and molecular clock dating show the two species last shared a common ancestor about 1.5 million years ago, well before cattle domestication. Both species grow on large herbivore dung, indicating a predisposition to cattle dung. Ecological niche modeling suggests the common ancestor had suitable habitat across Africa, Asia, and the Americas over the last 3 million years, shedding light on the wild origins of domesticated P. cubensis.
Figshare
January 1, 2026
Alexander J. Bradshaw, Cathy Sharp, B. van der Merwe et al.
The closest wild relative of the widely cultivated psychedelic mushroom Psilocybe cubensis has been discovered in sub-Saharan Africa and named Psilocybe ochraceocentrata. DNA analysis of type specimens and molecular clock dating show the two species last shared a common ancestor about 1.5 million years ago (95% HPD: 710,000–2.55 million years ago), long before cattle domestication. Both species grow on herbivore dung, indicating that coprophagy likely preadapted P. cubensis to its current specialization on domesticated cattle dung. Ecological niche modeling suggests the ancestor of P. cubensis was present across Africa, Asia, and the Americas over the last 3 million years, challenging the earlier hypothesis that it was introduced to the Americas with cattle around 1500 CE.
DRYAD
December 3, 2025
Alexander J. Bradshaw, Cathy Sharp, B. van der Merwe et al.
A significant discovery in **evolutionary biology** reveals a new "magic mushroom" **genus** member, *Psilocybe ochraceocentrata*, from Zimbabwe. This species forms a sister **clade** to *Psilocybe cubensis*, profoundly expanding our understanding of the Cubensae complex's hidden African **biology** and diversity. By modeling **geography** and **ecology**, this work aims to pinpoint *P. cubensis*'s debated origins. Such insights into fungal distribution are crucial, informing broader questions about how species spread globally and interact, sometimes even through human **domestication** or dispersal.