I just checked and unfortunately the site my friend originally got his through, Pacific Exotica Flora, doesn't seem to exist any more. I don't want to give pans a bad name, the majority of people seem to report sublime experiences with them. It might be worth starting research with the Hawaiian strain perhaps.

Another possible species I will be researching over the summer that might be worth checking out is Psilocybe mexicana 'Jalisco'. Unlike the truffles which this species is famous for, this particular strain also fruits, producing mushrooms that are supposedly very potent indeed (same league as pans), and in later flushes they start to produce mushrooms with viable spores, so one can continue the line. This species has been used for at least 2,000 years, and was used by the Aztecs in their rituals (teonanacatl), and was, and still is the most highly prized species used by the Mazatec, including the late shaman Maria Sabina. The Mazatec really know their mushrooms, and so I suspect this species is worthy of more attention. What very few experience reports have read indicate they provide a very powerful, visionary, clean journey.

some strains contain serotonin, which acts peripherally instead of centrally (serotonin doesn't pass the BBB)

All strains of all psiloc(yb)in containing mushrooms contain tryptophan. After all, tryptophan is the precursor to psilocin and psilocybin in the biosynthesis.

^^Indeed. Some more than others though, including certain strains of Pans (or according to some of the literature I have encountered). And I'm aware that serotonin doesn't cross the blood brain barrier, but tryptophan can be metabolized in this way. What of urea? I know its of low toxicity as waste products go, but I wonder if it could in any way contribute to the 'poisoned' feeling some people experience with pans...it seems to me that this isn't a purely psychological side effect and that there may be a biochemical basis for why some people experience this vividly with pans on occasion.

I'll look into the tubs... Then again, maybe my experimentation has come to an end (as far as shrooms are concerned)...

I'm not sure if other species of mushrooms will provide anything radically different. Sure, PCs are pretty intense but still, there are a lot of familiarities... I'm personally starting to think maybe it's better sticking to what you know will provide you with a good experience over experimenting to see if there's a possibility something's 'better', especially after having had enough bad trips heh... There's a lot of conflicting reports, maybe from inexperienced people which pave the way for ideas that are maybe a bit over-exaggerated. Like people saying that different strains of (generic) cubes have totally different 'vibes' when really, it's just been 2 different experiences (and setting).

I can understand the psychological/placebo-esque view of "I've taken something different, so this experience has to be different"... The PCs had a real physical grip on me (which in turn fucked with me psychologically heh), but without the sickness and feeling like I was going to die the intensity of the trip probably could have been matched by chowing down on handfuls of cubes.

Thought I'd update with some after effects... No trip in the past has ever stuck with me like this, I've had nightmare-ish experiences which have taken a few days for the intensity to leave my mind but 3 weeks later it still gets to me heh.

My girlfriend mentioned last weekend she spaced out, got really confused and scared like a psychedelic wave flushed over her (room and time warping a bit without any influence/trigger) which has never happened in the past... I smoke a bit of weed on the weekend as it's great for me, calming my mind/anxiety. Firstly, being insanely stoned never has a negative effect on me, I can generally drive a car or walk around a shopping centre without a concern (other than my eyes burning red, making it obvious I'm wasted). However, on Saturday I got flushed with anxiety gripping at my chest, making it harder to breath. I got cold as fuck, shaking like the onset of the PCs... Basically on the verge of loosing my shit. Anyone else had any lingering (psychological?) effects after an epic trip?

PCs could be mistaken for Psilocybe cubensis. He is referring to Panaeolus cyanescens here, just to be clear.

Some researchers here in the Netherlands found big variations in the total psilocin content of Pan.cyanescens.
These variations were not so big in the cubensis that were tested.

From my own experience the Pan.cyanescens are indeed very potent. The first waves (always within 10-20 min) are usualy already so strong they put me down, sinking into the ground. From there i will go deeper and deeper. I really like these little mushrooms. Very suitable for going in very deep very fast.

The nice trip report (post#1) reminds me very much of my experience with strong cubensis
The phase were things get hairy (and i do like it ) for me is typical of cubensis. The pans just blow me right through that phase of synesthesia and disintegration. For me the pans are just as alien, but without the freaky rough stuff.

My dose pans is about 1-2g
Cubes i will take less, about 3.0-4.0g

i also enjoyed reading your trip report, lovetheuniverse. it's interesting to hear that perhaps pan.cyans and copelandia cyans may be in fact different strains, and personally I'd be inclined to beleive this, as the mushrooms I have mainly eaten are copelandia cyanescens - the most I ate at once was 9g fresh, which produced a nice, clean, and strong, trip but never dark or heavy.

I'm thinking that the potency these mushrooms (pan/c.cyans) have a reputation for obviously varies (between growth areas maybe?) as the ones I had been picking (I was lucky enough to have them growing naturally in my yard!) never seemed as strong to me as the gold-tops i have eaten, yet by reputation they are supposed to be stronger. The c.cyans though, most recently I have eaten about 2g fresh, with little to no effects... surely they should be much stronger? Perhaps they are indeed two different species... (Did the scientists that named them do controlled 'trip' experiments to find out? I think perhaps not...)

iv eaten pan cyans around the 1g dose - to me it was like 3g of cubies in strenght with a different quality to it.
i loved the experience and have some more comming up soon.
compared to 8.8g dried tk cubensis - no comparison - id say the 1 to 3 ratio is spot on.