Purple Mystic[i] is a strain of Psilocybe cubensis that was found growing wild in a cow pasture in East Plant City, Florida and was then stabilized by various cultivators. The name comes from the fact that the cap is often at least partially purplish. Very little is known about this strain; most published descriptions seem to be simply repeating information supplied by the original collector.
Identification and Description
Cap: Medium-size, bell-shaped when young, becoming nearly flat with age. Reddish to golden brown, often with a purple tinge. Very young specimens have a partial veil that soon ruptures. Veil remnants on the cap edge are lost not long after. Interior flesh is white but bruises bluish-green.
Gills: Attached either broadly or narrowly. Grayish-purple when young, becoming almost black as the spores mature.
Stem: Thin, often long, yellowish but bruising bluish, hollow. The stem ring is purplish-brown from the spores that fall on it.
Spores: Not quite elliptical.
Spore Print: Dark, purplish brown.
Habitat: The strain was found growing on cow dung, but will also eat horse dug and can be cultivated on a variety of substrates.
In general, Purple Mystic[ii] is a typical-looking cube except for the purplish tinge, which not all specimens have.
Look-alikes
Because Purple Mystic is a cultivated strain, avoiding look-alikes is less of a concern. That being said, it looks very much like most other cube strains and many magics of other species—and not a few other species that are either culinary or, in some cases, seriously poisonous. Being familiar with how cultivated shrooms look is definitely not adequate qualification to pick them in the wild as there are many species out there that differ only subtly from this one. You need solid ID skills.
Effects
Whether the effects actually differ from one cube strain to the next is debatable. Certainly some people claim that they do, but it seems unlikely. Certainly, psilocybin trips can vary for so many reasons other than the strain (dosage, the user’s sensitivity, mindset, and setting), that any distinctive quality each strain might have is likely overwhelmed. In any case, no one seems to be claiming any specific characteristics for a Purple Mystic trip.
It alters, or at least exaggerates, you mood, changes your thinking at least temporarily, and, at higher doses, causes hallucinations, just like all other cubes. What shape all this alteration takes depends largely on you.
Potency and Dosage
We have not been able to track down reliable information on the potency of this strain. The person who initially worked to popularize Purple Mystic has claimed that it is the most potent cube strain in existence, but that has not been independently confirmed and may not be accurate.
Proper dosage is very important with psilocybin, both because the size of the dose dictates the intensity of the trip, and because potentially dangerous side effects get more likely as the dose increases. And setting the right dose depends on knowing the potency. Your best bet when potency is unknown is to get a large batch, powder it, and mix it thoroughly. Then take a very small amount of the powder and see what happens. Increase slowly until you get the effects you want, and then you’ll know what dose to use for the rest of the batch.
Growing
Again, information is hard to find and contradictory. Some growers have found the strain to be fast, vigorous, and easy to work with, while others have found it slow and tricky—although once it gets established, yield was good through multiple flushes[iii].
Toxicity, Safety, & Side Effects
Purple Mystic is not known to have any safety issues that other cubes don’t, but it’s worth noting that although psilocybin is a relatively safe way to also the mind, altering the mind is never risk-free, plus there are possible side effects, some of them dangerous (though rare, fortunately). Important safety tips include using the lowest dose you can to get the effects you want, and making sure your mindset is relaxed and positive and the setting peaceful and safe. Have a trip-sitter with you, especially if you plan to use a higher dose than you have before. And do take the time to process the experience afterwards, otherwise all those important personal and spiritual insights won’t do you any good.
References:
[i] (n.d.). About Purple Mystics Mushrooms. Mushly
[ii] (n.d.). Purple Mystic Cubensis. Spores101
[iii] StudENT808 (2020). Purple Mystic Has Been By Far the Most Difficult I’ve Grown Yet. These Bois Aren’t the Healthiest, but They Grew Tall! Reddit
