Gastón Guzmán
Encyclopedia
Gastón Guzmán is a Mexican
mycologist
and anthropologist
. He is considered the world's foremost authority on the genus Psilocybe
.
He was born in Xalapa
, Veracruz
, in 1932.
His interest in mycology
began in 1955 when as a graduate student he decided to update the schools (National Polytechnic Institute
) poorly kept collection of fungi. During his early field work he found a large assortment of species of which little was known about at the time. This inspired him to choose fungi as the topic of his professional thesis.
In 1957, after reading R. Gordon Wasson's article "Seeking the Magic Mushroom", he was invited to go on an expedition to study neurotropic fungi in the Huautla de Jimenez region as an assistant to Dr. Rolf Singer
. During the last day of the expedition he met R. Gordon Wasson, this chance meeting resulted in a close friendship between the two men for over 25 years.
In 1958, he published his first paper on a blue-staining Psilocybe
species and the first paper on the ecology of neurotropic fungi. In 1971, he received a grant from the Guggenheim Foundation
of New York
, on the recommendation of Richard Evans Schultes
to study the genus Psilocybe, which resulted in a comprehensive book on the subject in 1977, titled The Genus Psilocybe: A Systematic Revision of the Known Species Including the History, Distribution and Chemistry of the Hallucinogenic Species, it was published in 1983 by J. Cramer of Vaduz, Germany. He has since authored eight other books and over 350 papers on Mexican mushrooms and has described more than 200 new taxa on fungi worldwide. More than half of the psilocybin mushroom species that are known, were discovered by Dr. Guzmán.
A co-founder and former president of the Mexican Mycological Society, he also was president of the Latin American Mycological Association (2000–2002), and is a founding member of the Panamanian Mycological Society. Dr. Guzmán currently holds the Emeritus Research chair at the Ecological Institute of Xalapa
where he founded Department and Herbarium of Fungi. He is also a guide on "Mexican Mushroom Tours."
His daughter Laura Guzman Davalos is also a prominent mycologist.
Mexican people
Mexican people refers to all persons from Mexico, a multiethnic country in North America, and/or who identify with the Mexican cultural and/or national identity....
mycologist
Mycology
Mycology is the branch of biology concerned with the study of fungi, including their genetic and biochemical properties, their taxonomy and their use to humans as a source for tinder, medicinals , food and entheogens, as well as their dangers, such as poisoning or...
and anthropologist
Anthropology
Anthropology is the study of humanity. It has origins in the humanities, the natural sciences, and the social sciences. The term "anthropology" is from the Greek anthrōpos , "man", understood to mean mankind or humanity, and -logia , "discourse" or "study", and was first used in 1501 by German...
. He is considered the world's foremost authority on the genus Psilocybe
Psilocybe
Psilocybe is a genus of small mushrooms growing worldwide. This genus is best known for its species with psychedelic or hallucinogenic properties, widely known as "magic mushrooms", though the majority of species do not contain hallucinogenic compounds...
.
He was born in Xalapa
Xalapa
Xalapa-Enríquez, commonly Xalapa or Jalapa, is the capital city of the Mexican state of Veracruz and the name of the surrounding municipality. In the year 2005 census the city reported a population of 387,879 and the municipality of which it serves as municipal seat reported a population of...
, Veracruz
Veracruz
Veracruz, formally Veracruz de Ignacio de la Llave officially Estado Libre y Soberano de Veracruz de Ignacio de la Llave , is one of the 31 states that, along with the Federal District, comprise the 32 federative entities of Mexico. It is divided in 212 municipalities and its capital city is...
, in 1932.
His interest in mycology
Mycology
Mycology is the branch of biology concerned with the study of fungi, including their genetic and biochemical properties, their taxonomy and their use to humans as a source for tinder, medicinals , food and entheogens, as well as their dangers, such as poisoning or...
began in 1955 when as a graduate student he decided to update the schools (National Polytechnic Institute
National Polytechnic Institute
The National Polytechnic Institute colloquially known as the Polytechnic is one of the largest public universities in Mexico with 153.027 students at the high school, undergraduate and postgraduate levels...
) poorly kept collection of fungi. During his early field work he found a large assortment of species of which little was known about at the time. This inspired him to choose fungi as the topic of his professional thesis.
In 1957, after reading R. Gordon Wasson's article "Seeking the Magic Mushroom", he was invited to go on an expedition to study neurotropic fungi in the Huautla de Jimenez region as an assistant to Dr. Rolf Singer
Rolf Singer
Rolf Singer was a German-born mycologist and one of the most important taxonomists of gilled mushrooms in the 20th century....
. During the last day of the expedition he met R. Gordon Wasson, this chance meeting resulted in a close friendship between the two men for over 25 years.
In 1958, he published his first paper on a blue-staining Psilocybe
Psilocybe
Psilocybe is a genus of small mushrooms growing worldwide. This genus is best known for its species with psychedelic or hallucinogenic properties, widely known as "magic mushrooms", though the majority of species do not contain hallucinogenic compounds...
species and the first paper on the ecology of neurotropic fungi. In 1971, he received a grant from the Guggenheim Foundation
John Simon Guggenheim Memorial Foundation
The John Simon Guggenheim Memorial Foundation was founded in 1925 by Mr. and Mrs. Simon Guggenheim in memory of their son, who died April 26, 1922...
of New York
New York
New York is a state in the Northeastern region of the United States. It is the nation's third most populous state. New York is bordered by New Jersey and Pennsylvania to the south, and by Connecticut, Massachusetts and Vermont to the east...
, on the recommendation of Richard Evans Schultes
Richard Evans Schultes
Richard Evans Schultes may be considered the father of modern ethnobotany, for his studies of indigenous peoples' uses of plants, including especially entheogenic or hallucinogenic plants , for his lifelong collaborations with chemists, and...
to study the genus Psilocybe, which resulted in a comprehensive book on the subject in 1977, titled The Genus Psilocybe: A Systematic Revision of the Known Species Including the History, Distribution and Chemistry of the Hallucinogenic Species, it was published in 1983 by J. Cramer of Vaduz, Germany. He has since authored eight other books and over 350 papers on Mexican mushrooms and has described more than 200 new taxa on fungi worldwide. More than half of the psilocybin mushroom species that are known, were discovered by Dr. Guzmán.
A co-founder and former president of the Mexican Mycological Society, he also was president of the Latin American Mycological Association (2000–2002), and is a founding member of the Panamanian Mycological Society. Dr. Guzmán currently holds the Emeritus Research chair at the Ecological Institute of Xalapa
Xalapa
Xalapa-Enríquez, commonly Xalapa or Jalapa, is the capital city of the Mexican state of Veracruz and the name of the surrounding municipality. In the year 2005 census the city reported a population of 387,879 and the municipality of which it serves as municipal seat reported a population of...
where he founded Department and Herbarium of Fungi. He is also a guide on "Mexican Mushroom Tours."
His daughter Laura Guzman Davalos is also a prominent mycologist.
Further reading
- Guzman, G. "El habitat de Psilocybe muliercula Singer & Smith (=Ps. wassonii Heim), agaricaceo alucinogeno mexicano." Revista de la Sociedad Mexicana de Historia Natural 19: 215-229 (1958).
- Guzman, G. The Genus Psilocybe: A Systematic Revision of the Known Species Including the History, Distribution and Chemistry of the Hallucinogenic Species. Beihefte zur Nova Hedwigia Heft 74. J. Cramer, Vaduz, Germany (1983) [now out of print].
- Guzman, G. "Wasson and the development of Mycology in Mexico." In: Riedlinger, T.J. (Ed.) The Sacred Mushroom Seeker: Essays for R. Gordon Wasson. Ethnomycological Studies No. 11, pp. 83–110. Dioscorides Press, Portland, OR (1990).
- Guzman, G. "The Sacred Mushroom in Mesoamerica." In: Miyanishi, T. (Ed.) The Ancient Maya and Hallucinogens, pp. 75–95. Wakayama University, Wakayama, Japan (1992).
- Guzman, G. "Supplement to the genus Psilocybe." Bibliotheca Mycologica 159: 91-141 (1995).
- Guzman, G. Los Nombres de los Hongos y lo Relacionado con Ellos en America Latina. Instituto de Ecologia, Xalapa, Veracruz, Mexico (1997).
- Guzman, G. "Inventorying the fungi of Mexico." Biodiversity and Conservation 7: 365-384 (1997).
- Guzman, G. and J. Ott. "Description and chemical analysis of a new species of hallucinogenic Psilocybe from the Pacific Northwest." Mycologia 68: 1261-1267 (1976).
- Guzman, G. and S.H. Pollock. "A new bluing species of Psilocybe from Florida." Mycotaxon 7: 373-376 (1978).
- Guzman, G. and S.H. Pollock. "Tres nuevas especies y dos nuevos registros de los hongos alucinogenos en Mexico y datos sobre su cultivo en el laboratorio." Bol Soc Mex Mic 13: 261-270 (1979).
- Guzman, G., C. King, and V.M. Bandala. "A new species of Psilocybe of section Zapotecorum from New Zealand." Mycological Research 95(4): 507-508 (1991).
- Guzman, G., L. Montoya Bello, and V.M. Bandala. "Nuevos registros de los hongos alucinogenos del genero Psilocybe en Mexico y analisis de la distribucion de las especies conocidas." Revista Mexicana de Micologia 4: 255-265 (1988).
- Guzman, G., V.M. Bandala, and C. King. "Further observations on the genus Psilocybe from New Zealand." Mycotaxon 46: 161-170 (1993).
- Guzman, G., V.M. Bandala, and J.W. Allen. "A new bluing Psilocybe from Thailand." Mycotaxon 46: 155-160 (1993).
- Guzman, G. et al. "A new bluing Psilocybe from U.S.A." Mycotaxon 65: 191-196 (1997).