If you ate a wild mushroom and suddenly began seeing tiny people, you might naturally assume it contained a known psychedelic compound.
However, that doesn’t seem to be the case with Lanmaoa asiatica—locally called “jian shou qing”—a species sold in markets in Yunnan in southwestern China.
Undercooked Consumption and Lilliputian Hallucinations
When eaten insufficiently cooked, this mushroom can trigger vivid hallucinations of miniature human figures, reminiscent of Gulliver’s encounter with Lilliput.
Hospitals in Yunnan reportedly treat dozens of such poisoning cases every year.
To investigate the cause, mycologists Colin Domnauer and Bryn Dentinger at the University of Utah analyzed the genomes of 53 mushroom samples spanning the broader Lanmaoa genus.
Despite the hallucinations that have been reported, the researchers did not find any genes closely related to those responsible for producing psilocybin or ibotenic acid—two well-known mushroom-derived hallucinogens whose biosynthetic pathways were specifically analyzed in the study.
Genomic Analysis Finds No Known Psychoactive Gene Matches in L. asiatica
The researchers wrote that genome analysis of L. asiatica showed no close matches to genes known to produce psychoactive compounds in mushrooms.
They suggested this finding supports the idea that an as-yet unidentified compound may be responsible for the species’ unusual hallucinogenic effects.
Experiencing visions of tiny people even has a formal term: Lilliputian hallucinations.
Lilliputian hallucinations aren’t the only consequence of eating undercooked L. asiatica; people most frequently report those, though they also experience other effects. Other effects have included dizziness, auditory hallucinations, and physical illness.
Regardless of the biochemical pathways behind these effects on the brain, scientists have not yet identified the compound responsible—or any of its active counterparts.
Distinct Symptom Profile Compared to Known Mushroom Hallucinogens
The researchers note that their findings align with clinical and observational reports showing that L. asiatica intoxication produces psychological and physical symptoms that differ significantly from those caused by psilocybin or ibotenic acid.
They also suggest that researchers could use the phylogenetic and genomic data presented in the study to support future drug discovery efforts and to improve understanding of how bioactive secondary compounds have evolved and are distributed within the Lanmaoa genus.
The genome sequencing results from this study do more than simply exclude psilocybin or ibotenic acid as explanations.
By identifying 1,515 shared genes across the sampled specimens, the researchers were able to better clarify what genetic traits characterize a mushroom as belonging to the genus Lanmaoa.
The genus now includes 17 recognized species, among them four that were previously unknown. In this study, the researchers formally named two of those new species: Lanmaoa fallax and Lanmaoa carbonilivor.
“The researchers now map the Lanmaoa family and its evolutionary relationships in greater detail and suggest that they may need to reclassify some previously identified specimens.”
One of the challenges in classifying them has been their very similar physical appearances, even when their genetic makeup differs.
Public Health Risks from Misidentification of Lanmaoa Species
“They also point out that widespread trade in Lanmaoa species as edible mushrooms creates a well-known and serious public health risk, because consumers and medical professionals can easily confuse them with toxic lookalikes.”
This, they argue, underscores the importance of improving taxonomic knowledge of the group.
The fact that these mushrooms can induce such a specific type of psychedelic hallucination is intriguing.
Researchers now say the key question is what triggers this effect, suggesting that answering it could reveal deeper insights into how the human mind works.
Mushrooms’ Expanding Scientific Importance
And for those keeping up with mycology research, mushrooms have already proven far more complex than they might seem—showing connections to disease prevention, remarkable evolutionary adaptations, and important roles in Earth’s ecosystems.
Researchers in the Lanmaoa genus still have much to discover.
The researchers write that their study provides a comprehensive genomic basis for Lanmaoa classification, paving the way for future work to more thoroughly investigate the genus’s evolutionary history and its production of secondary chemical compounds.
Read the original article on: sciencealert
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