There are around 180 species of mushroom that contain the chemical psilocybin, which is responsible for the “magical” psychedelic effects that give them their name. Most belong to the genus Psilocybe, but other genera also contain the substance. The most common species are Psilocybe cubensis, Psilocybe mexicana, and Psilocybe semilanceata. Magic mushrooms are generally a light tan when fresh and a blotchy greyish brown when dried. They are distinct from the Amanita, another psychedelic mushroom that resembles a fairytale toadstool — red with white spots. Psilocybin mushrooms can be found in North and South America, as well as Europe, Asia, Africa, and Australia. These non-descript fungi have been around for thousands of years. Cave paintings in Algeria suggest they may have been part of religious rituals as long as 9,000 years ago. Excavations in Asia, Europe, North America, and South America have shown evidence that the powerful effects of psilocybin were significant to other early cultures, too. Psilocybin (4-phosphoryloxy-N,N-dimethyltryptamine) is chemically classified as a tryptamine alkaloid. Once it enters the human body, it converts to psilocin through metabolic processes in the liver. This chemical is structurally similar to the neurotransmitter serotonin and thus binds to the 2A serotonin receptors in the brain. These receptors are particularly abundant in the claustrum, a thin sheet of neurons that coordinate and consolidate sensory input. Psilocin and other psychedelic drugs disrupt the functioning of this region, thus creating sensory distortions. Oakland magic mushroom dispensary.