title: Phylogenetic and chemical studies in the potential psychotropic species complex of Psilocybe atrobrunnea with taxonomic and nomenclatural notes.
abstract: Five Psilocybe species with unresolved systematic position (P. atrobrunnea, P. laetissima, P. medullosa, P. pelliculosa, and P. silvatica) were investigated using four molecular markers (EF1-α, ITS, LSU, and IGS). Phylogenetic analysis revealed that with the exception of P. laetissima, which is now rightfully classified in the genus Leratiomyces, all investigated species belong to Psilocybe sect. Psilocybe. For the first time, psychotropic compounds psilocin and psilocybin were detected in P. medullosa using gas chromatography-mass spectrometry. On the contrary, neither psilocin, nor psilocybin was detected in P. atrobrunnea and negative results were also obtained from mycelia grown in vitro on tryptamine/tryptophan-amended media. These results strongly suggest that biosynthesis of these alkaloids was lost in P. atrobrunnea. With the exception of minor differences detected in EF1-α marker, all sequences of American and European collections of P. atrobrunnea were identical. On the other hand, a thorough nomenclatural study revealed that the name P. atrobrunnea must be considered dubious; the oldest available candidate name, P. fuscofulva, was therefore adopted. The molecular data suggests that morphologically identical American P. silvatica and European P. medullosa likely represent distinct species; epitypes of both taxa were therefore designated.
authors.affiliation: Institute of Geology, Academy of Sciences of the Czech Republic, Rozvojová 269, CZ-165 00 Prague 6, Czech Republic;
authors.forename: J
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Borovička
authors.affiliation: Biology Centre ASCR, Institute of Parasitology & University of South Bohemia, Faculty of Science, Branišovská 31, CZ-370 05 České Budějovice, Czech Republic.
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Oborník
authors.affiliation: Military Institute of Forensic Medicine, Military University Hospital Prague, U Vojenské nemocnice 1200, CZ-169 02 Prague 6, Czech Republic.
authors.forename: J
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Stříbrný
authors.affiliation: Naturalis Biodiversity Center, section Botany, P.O. Box 9517, 2300 RA Leiden, The Netherlands.
authors.forename: M E
authors.initials: ME
authors.lastname: Noordeloos
authors.affiliation: Avda. Padre Claret n° 7, 5° G, 09400 - Aranda de Duero (Burgos), Spain.
authors.forename: L A
authors.initials: LA
authors.lastname: Parra Sánchez
authors.affiliation: Institute of Microbiology, Academy of Sciences of the Czech Republic, Videňská 1083, CZ-142 20 Prague 4, Czech Republic.
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Gryndler
keywords: Leratiomyces; Strophariaceae; hallucinogenic fungi; phylogeny; psilocin; psilocybin