Wood-loving magic mushrooms from Australia are saprotrophic invaders in the Northern Hemisphere
Fungal Systematics and Evolution July 23, 2024 Alistair R. Mctaggart, K. Scarlettt, Jason C. Slot et al. 5 citations
Magic mushrooms, which produce the compound psilocybin, maintain sexual compatibility across geographically isolated populations despite minimal gene flow since diverging from a common ancestor. Analysis of 89 genomes shows that psilocybin genes have high allelic diversity and show signs of balancing selection. Australasia is the center of origin for wood-degrading magic mushrooms, and their intercontinental distribution likely resulted from human-assisted movement of woodchips, mulch, or plants rather than natural dispersal. The findings indicate that species connectivity persists across separated populations, with no evidence of allopatric speciation eroding mating compatibility.