A
Adaptogen
A marketing and herbal-medicine term for substances claimed to help the body respond to stress. It is not a precise regulatory category or proof of a clinical effect.
A–Z reference
Mushroom words, without the fog.
Plain-language definitions for mycology, supplements, research, and psychedelic harm reduction.
IndependentEvidence-awareUpdated July 9, 2026
A
Alkaloid
A broad class of nitrogen-containing compounds. Psilocybin and psilocin are indole alkaloids.
A
Alpha-glucan
A carbohydrate category that includes starch. High alpha-glucan levels can indicate substantial grain or other starch in a mushroom product.
A
Albino
A pale phenotype with reduced pigmentation. In cultivated mushroom names, the term is sometimes used loosely and may overlap with leucistic.
B
Baeocystin
A minor psilocybin-related compound found in some mushroom species. Its contribution to human effects is not well established.
B
Beta-glucan
A group of structural polysaccharides found in fungal cell walls. Measured beta-glucans are a useful, though incomplete, supplement quality marker.
B
Bioavailability
The amount and rate at which a substance becomes available to the body after use.
C
Chitin
A tough structural material in fungal cell walls, also found in arthropod shells.
C
Conk
A hard bracket-like fungal growth, often found on wood. Chaga’s harvested sterile conk is not a conventional cap.
C
Cordycepin
A compound associated with Cordyceps militaris and studied in laboratory research. Its presence does not by itself prove a health benefit.
C
Cultivar
A selected cultivated line. Mushroom trade names are often called strains or cultivars, even when their genetics are not formally registered.
D
Dose
The amount taken. For mushrooms, dose alone cannot predict intensity because species, batch, form, individual biology, and context all matter.
D
Dual extract
An extract made using both water and alcohol, intended to capture different compound groups.
E
Entheogen
A cultural term for a psychoactive substance used in spiritual or religious contexts. Legal definitions vary.
E
Extract ratio
A label such as 8:1 that claims a relationship between starting material and finished extract. It does not state the final composition by itself.
F
Fruiting body
The spore-producing structure people usually recognize as a mushroom.
F
Functional mushroom
A non-regulatory wellness category for mushrooms used beyond ordinary nutrition. The label is not evidence that a product has a proven benefit.
H
Hypha
A microscopic fungal filament. Networks of hyphae form mycelium.
L
Leucistic
A phenotype with reduced pigment, but not necessarily the complete loss associated with true albinism.
M
Microdose
A small amount intended to produce little or no obvious perceptual change. The term has no single scientific definition and sub-perceptual intent is not guaranteed.
M
Mycelium
The branching network of fungal hyphae that grows through a substrate.
M
Mycology
The scientific study of fungi.
N
Nootropic
A broad marketing term for substances promoted for cognition. It does not establish safety or effectiveness.
P
Potency
The amount of active compound relative to material. Mushroom potency can vary among species, batches, and individual specimens.
P
Psilocin
The psychoactive compound that primarily acts at serotonin receptors after psilocybin is converted in the body.
P
Psilocybin
A naturally occurring psychedelic compound and a Schedule I controlled substance under US federal law.
S
Set and setting
‘Set’ means a person’s mindset and condition; ‘setting’ means the physical and social environment. Both can shape a psychedelic experience.
S
Species
A biological classification. Species identity is more fundamental than an informal trade strain name.
S
Strain
A useful marketplace term for a cultivated line, but often not a formally registered or genetically verified category.
T
Third-party testing
Testing performed by a laboratory separate from the seller. The methods, date, sample identity, and accessible report still matter.
T
Trip sitter
A sober, trusted person who stays present to support safety without directing or escalating an experience.
T
Triterpene
A broad compound class found in reishi and many other organisms. Measured content varies by species and extraction.
W
Whole-mushroom powder
Dried material ground into powder rather than concentrated through extraction.