By Sil, founder of Spores Worldwide · prepared in our Ottawa lab · Updated October 2026 · For microscopy and taxonomy research only.
Penis Envy (PE) is a variety of Psilocybe cubensis with a shape unlike any other cubensis strain, and the parent of a whole family of variants. This profile covers its disputed history, including a first-hand account given to us by Rich Gee, the PE family, and what PE spores look like under the microscope. Spores Worldwide sells PE-family spores for microscopy and taxonomy research only.
Penis Envy at a glance
| Species | Psilocybe cubensis (family Hymenogastraceae) |
| Variety | Penis Envy (PE) and its variants |
| Origin | Developed in the US from an Amazonian cubensis sample (accounts differ; see below) |
| Spore print colour | Dark purple-brown |
| Spore shape | Subellipsoid, smooth, with a germ pore at one end |
| Spore size | 11.5–17.3 × 8–11.5 µm, the published range for P. cubensis (Wikipedia); we’ll add our own measurements when our micrograph library is published |
| Spore output | Low: the cap often stays partly closed |
What makes Penis Envy different
Most cubensis strains have a wide cap that opens flat on a fairly slender stem. Penis Envy reverses that: thick, dense stems under small, rounded caps that often never fully open. That shape is where the name comes from, and it’s also why PE matters to microscopists. Because the cap stays closed, PE drops far fewer spores than a strain like Golden Teacher, so good PE spore samples are scarcer and take more care to work with.
Identification features
- Cap: small for the stem, typically 2–5 cm, rounded and bulbous, light tan to pale caramel. It often stays partly attached to the stem.
- Stem: noticeably thicker and denser than standard cubensis, pale and solid. It bruises blue when damaged, as other P. cubensis do.
- Gills: when the cap opens far enough to show them, closely spaced and darkening from pale grey to purple-brown.
- Spore print: dark purple-brown like other cubensis, but light and patchy, because the cap rarely opens wide.
| Feature | Penis Envy | Typical cubensis |
|---|---|---|
| Cap | Small (2–5 cm), rounded, often stays closed | 2–8 cm, flattens at maturity |
| Stem | Thick and dense, 5–10 cm | Thinner, 4–15 cm |
| Spore drop | Light | Heavy |
| Spore print | Harder to collect | Easy |
Where Penis Envy came from: two accounts
The commonly told version
The most widely repeated story links PE to the Amazon collections associated with Terence McKenna and his brother Dennis in the early 1970s. Journalist Hamilton Morris has described the original as an unusually large Amazonian mushroom. In this version, spores passed to the mycologist Steven Pollock, who isolated the PE line and later sent a print to the mycologist and print vendor Rich Gee. John Allen (“Mushroom John”) later found Rich Gee offering PE swabs, which helped bring the strain to wider attention.
Rich Gee’s first-hand account
Rich Gee contacted Spores Worldwide directly with his own account, which differs from the version above. In his words:
“The Penis Envy mushrooms began with Jewel Stevens [likely Jule Stevens] who dropped by my house to show me some Amazon mushrooms he had acquired. They supposedly came from Terence McKenna in a roundabout way. There was no bloody letter with spores sent to me by anyone. The mushrooms I saw were dried and looked normal.”
He describes the PE shape as the result of deliberate selection rather than something found in the wild: over several generations, the largest and most strongly bluing specimen was chosen each time, until the thick-stemmed, round-capped form appeared. The name, he says, came from people’s reaction the first time they saw the finished mushrooms. On the other accounts he was blunt: “Mushroom John has told many stories about the Penis Envy but none of it is correct and mostly his imagination.” He also says he never had any contact with McKenna.
Both accounts agree on the essentials: PE descends from an Amazonian cubensis sample, and its morphology was fixed by selection in the US.
The Penis Envy family
PE genetics have since been crossed and re-isolated into a family of related strains. Each one is worth comparing under the microscope.
- PE6: a cross of Penis Envy with a Texas cubensis. Caps open more readily than standard PE, so spores are easier to collect.
- Penis Envy Uncut Revert: from Penis Envy Uncut, named for a cap that looks fused to the stem; the revert is the line most commonly available as spores.
- Albino Penis Envy Revert (APE Revert): a partly pigmented line that came back from Albino Penis Envy (a PE × albino cross). It keeps the PE shape and gives a useful pigmentation comparison.
- Golden Penis Envy: a Golden Teacher × PE cross, combining GT’s cap colour with some of PE’s stem density. A good case study in how crosses express.
- Choda: a stocky PE mutant with proportionally wider stems. Its backstory is less documented.
- Penis Envy Pumpkin: a rarer variant we offer as a sealed spore swab.
Penis Envy spores under the microscope
PE spores fall within the published P. cubensis range of 11.5–17.3 × 8–11.5 µm (Wikipedia). They’re subellipsoid with a smooth wall and a germ pore at one end, and look semi-transparent purple-brown to dark brown.
The main practical difference is density. Because PE drops fewer spores, a PE syringe or print usually holds fewer spores than a Golden Teacher one. That has an advantage: fields are less crowded, so individual spores are easier to isolate and measure. Use a slightly larger drop than you would for GT, find spores at 100×, check shape at 400×, and measure at 1000× oil immersion with a calibrated reticle (20 or more spores per sample). Comparing PE with its relatives, such as PE6 or APE Revert, is a good exercise in spotting small differences within one species. The full method is in How to use a spore syringe for microscopy.
Storing PE syringes
Keep syringes capped, dark and cool in the main part of the fridge (not the door), and never freeze them. Stored correctly, they can last 12 months or more. See How to store spore syringes, prints and swabs.
Penis Envy spores from Spores Worldwide
All are prepared by hand in our Ottawa lab under 99.99% HEPA-filtered laminar flow, and we ship worldwide (except Egypt and Turkey).
- Penis Envy Spore Syringe (the original)
- PE6 Spore Syringe
- Penis Envy Uncut Revert Spore Syringe
- Albino Penis Envy Revert Spore Syringe
- Golden Penis Envy Spore Syringe
- Choda Spore Syringe
- Penis Envy Pumpkin Spore Swab
Browse every strain in Spore Syringes (26 strains).
Frequently asked questions
Where did Penis Envy come from?
From an Amazonian P. cubensis sample, developed in the US by selecting the largest, most strongly bluing specimens over several generations. Rich Gee, who did that work, told us the sample reached him through Jule Stevens; the more widely told version credits Steven Pollock.
How is PE different from other cubensis strains?
Mainly its shape: thick, dense stems and small caps that often stay closed. That’s also why it drops fewer spores. The spores themselves are within the normal cubensis range.
What are the Penis Envy variants?
The best known are PE6, Penis Envy Uncut (and its revert), Albino Penis Envy and APE Revert, Golden Penis Envy, Choda and Penis Envy Pumpkin.
Are Penis Envy spores legal?
It depends on where you live. Spores contain no psilocybin or psilocin, but some jurisdictions restrict spores directly or restrict anything intended for producing mushrooms. Our guide Are mushroom spores legal? links to the US federal law, the state laws that address spores, and Canada’s Controlled Drugs and Substances Act. Check your own local law before ordering.
Why does my PE syringe look less cloudy than a GT syringe?
Because PE drops fewer spores. A clearer syringe is normal for PE; use a slightly larger drop on the slide.