Red-cap Psilocybe Psilocybe squamosa (Pers. ex Fr.) Orton var. thrausta (Schultz ex Kalchb.) Lange syn. Stropharia squamosa var. thrausta (Schultz ex Kachlb.) Lange Cap 2.5-7cm across, convex to obtuse, then campanulate-flattened, with central umbo; intense reddish orange to brick red; viscid, smooth, but with numerous small white evanescent scales at margin. Gills adnate, rather crowded to almost distant, broad; whitish to gray then almost black with pale margin. Stem 60-120 x 3-8mm, long, slender, densely scaly in lower half, brownish orange to red like cap, whitish above the distinct membranous cottony ring, which is soon stained purple-black from spores. Flesh thin; pale cream. Odor not distinctive. Taste not distinctive. Spores ellipsoid, with germ pore distinctly eccentric, 12-14 x 6-7.5µ. Deposit purple brown. Habitat in small scattered clusters on wood chips and twigs. Rather rare. Found over most of North America. Season August-October. Not edible, although placed in Psilocybe this fungus has been found not to be hallucinogenic. Comment Frequently confused with the much duller colored, ochre-brown Psilocybe squamosa (Pers. ex Fr.) Orton, of which it is often regarded as a variety; but the germ pore in that species is centrally placed. Both species possess chrysocystidia, which removes them from the genus Stropharia, where they were formerly placed.