Two new Psilocybe species discovered in southern Africa, including notes on Lesotho Basotho traditional use of P. maluti

Psilocybe ingeli and Psilocybe maluti are two newly described psilocybin mushroom species from southern Africa, expanding the number of known African Psilocybe species to six. The mushrooms were identified through a combination of field discovery and lab DNA sequencing. Psilocybe ingeli was first found in 2023 in KwaZulu-Natal, while Psilocybe maluti was first found in 2021 in the Free State and later sent for identification by citizen mycologists. The research also documents traditional use of P. maluti by Basotho traditional healers in Lesotho, described as the only recorded first-hand report of hallucinogenic mushroom use in Africa, based on the study’s account.