Xanthoparmelia Conspersa grows like wildfire here where I live, so I will definitely collect some and see whats all this fuss about.


also I will surely be keeping a keen eye on this thread, great job guys and gals!

I did a water extraction by simmering approximate 10 grams dry Parmelia conspersa. Usnic acid is not soluble in water, at least at 25°C. The same is true for many of the other substances - the so-called 'lichen acids' are seen upon as not soluble in water. Ref: http://journals.cambridg...ge=online&aid=729140 (Can anyone get the full article?)

I let the resulting brown liquid evaporate onto some mullein. I used a bit much mullein, so I had to take two large fillings in my pipe, but indeed this is active! Not mindblowing, but good effects. The terrible taste of the lichen (or perhaps the dirt that sometimes follow with) is more or less gone, although the taste is still very sharp, it is much better than plain lichen.

This means that it's likely that the so-called 'lichen acids' aren't responsible for the effects. It could also mean that one or more of them is soluble in water at higher temperatures, as the used temperature was constantly 70-80°C. More tests will need to be done to confirm this.

I want to note that I think it's unfair for sister Mary Jane to say that this is like cannabis. It is damn close, but the cannabinoid magic is missing, and I have no belief that these substances act on cannabinoid receptors. But they do have an interesting effect... Look forward to more tests, in the making is also an extraction of Radula complanata, a close relative to the three known liverworts with actual cannabinoids. Looking forward to try that.

Oh, and for new readers, you can get a summary of our work on lichens and liverworts in this post.

Peace!

Take a bong bowl packed full of conspersa holding your hits in long and tell me what the difference is between that and cannabis other than the taste/smell. I am a seasoned cannabis smoker and grower and I could not tell the difference. I was completely sober beforehand, too. Just sayin'. Looks like our neurochemistry differs, me being a sensitive guy and all. Looking forward to hearing more reports.

Oh yeah I feel high all right! But even after four big hits hold in long, I feel the magic of cannabis is missing. It is a very special plant. Not that I don't enjoy this, it feels good, but I can't say it's like cannabis. Maybe because you smoke "every day", whereas I take long breaks between smoking (most of the time)? I notice that the cannabis magic diminishes after just a few days of smoking.

Every day the magic of cannabis is waiting for me...

;]

I am a chemical anomaly. And I don't smoke schwag. We need more perspectives on this!! And I need to give this another whirl next time I'm out in the woods...

thanks for the ID, Ginko

so Parmelia conspersa is very common. sorry if you went over this, but what types of habitats are good to look in? i would love to help gather info! (and a walk in the woods would do me nice right now, before the snow flies.

Where I live it's on all kinds of rocks and wood growing everywhere from directly on the cliffs of coasts through the forests and to the tops of mountains that make up the valley.

..thanks for the experimental Gingko, & feedback ۩
..as far as i could research, Parmelia conspersa has not been tested for methyl β-orcinolcarboxylate and atranorin, found in other parmelias, so perhaps such compounds are the actives...

on rocks *and* wood ,,,hmmm

this is novel, i have yet to ID a lichen
i think my chances are getting better

thanks ۩

HAH! I took 4 dry grams of the liverwort Radula complanata including roots, and extracted with toluene (didn't have any other non-polar), which when evaporeted yielded a very small amount of black-green resin. I took some mullein and mixed with approximately half of this resin, equaling 2 grams of herb, and smoked it (without any cannabis tolerance).

And you know what, THIS WORKS! With the cannabinoid feel and everything, this is nearly like smoking some GOOD hash! The effect started maybe 30 seconds in, and now writing 5 minutes after, I continue to get higher.

The cannabinoid perrottetinene has not been isolated in this species, but seeing that it has been found in three relatives, it has to be assumed that this substance is responsible for the effects. So people, at least 4 of the 172 Radula species have cannabinoids. Fore more information on the genus, see previous posts.

WOHO! Legal cannabis! YEAH!

Update: Lasts around 2-3 hours, peak at ~20 minutes.

The clubmoss Lycopodium clavatum is also active. I smoked maybe 0.5 gram and notice definitive effects. It contains lycopodine and similar substances, which are related to huperzine A, an NMDA antagonist and acetylcholinesterase inhibititor isolated from the firmoss Huperzia serrata. Lycopodium clavatum grows everywhere in the world.

Lichens, liverworts, clubmosses... This is starting to get kinda interesting! I'm sure there's LOTS of entheogens and psychoactives out there just waiting to be found.

It appears clubmoss is quite a tonic. With a long history of herbal healing uses: http://clubmoss.info/

This site says it is a diuretic, sedative, antispasmodic, analgesic, antipruritic, decongestant, antirheumatic, nervine, corroborant, aperient, carminative, stomachic and tonic.

It also says that lycopodine is "poisonous by paralyzing the motor nerves." And, that it also contains clavatine which is toxic to many mammals. Something to think about.

Anyone know what substances/what lichens this is about?

Yes they are talking about the meta positioned alkyl resorcinols found in such lichen as evernaria prunastri(orcinol), as well as hypogymnia physodes(olivetol). I know someone out there has performed an extraction, purification, and synthesis from orcinol of a novel THC analogue(1 carbon chain) via similar means. Found it to be mildly active at ~20-30mg dose. However POCl3(IIRC is mentioned in the actual entry in the book) is not something to mess around with without an anhydrous set-up and wisdom. There are other synthetic means availible. Pulegone is one way, Citral is another. I don't believe I am encouraged to talk further on these matters.

..Woah! Gingko..legal cannabis alright.. thank you again..have some catching up to do..New Zealanders especially should take note..

BTW how fresh vs dried was the p. conspersia you and/or house smoked?

I'm going to check out the radula complanata and parmelia conspersa as soon as possible! I'm not a lichen expert by any means, but I'm guessing that parmelia conspersa is an alternate name for xanthoparmelia conspersa?

Mine sat in a bag for around 3 weeks before I toked it.

Coming late to this thread...
Blue lunar light, on page 2 you referred to Dictyonema sericeum as 'nenendape' and included pictures (much better than the b&w pic in the original Harv. Bot. Mus. Leaf. article!). Where did you read of this identification, because in all previous literature that I'm aware of the species remained unidentified?

Ginkgo, thanks very much for altering us to the Collema (genus) and indole content. That paper is available as a free pdf (google collema bufotenine). By the way, it also mentioned igh content of arachidonic acids; could be these are psychoactive components, due to their relation to anandamide and other endogenous cannabinoids.

Hvalfangeren, just so you now, in botanical terms 'occultum' or 'occulta' often refer to a plant being obscure in some way, or dark in colour, and doesn't necessarily imply any relation to use for occult purposes.

Still only up to the end of page 5, have to take a break

I used to keep reptiles and would go all out on their terrariums and i know there's a way of growing moss in which you put like beer or buttermilk and moss in a blender and blend. than paint it onto surfaces with a paintbrush and it grows from it. i'm trying to find a good pictorial of this online. it works really well and easily. can this be done with liverworts/lichens for cultivation purposes?