What’s The Story Morning Glory? Student Discovers New Psychedelic Fungus

After Decades of Searching, Scientists Discover Elusive LSD Fungus on Morning Glory Seeds

In a surprising turn of scientific sleuthing, researchers have finally identified a long-sought-after fungus living on the seeds of the morning glory plant — a tiny organism capable of producing compounds closely related to LSD. This discovery, nearly a century in the making, may open new doors in psychedelic research, pharmacology, and agriculture.

The journey to this breakthrough began almost 100 years ago, with the famed Swiss chemist Albert Hofmann, best known for synthesizing lysergic acid diethylamide, or LSD. Hofmann’s accidental 1943 encounter with the powerful psychedelic — followed by the now-famous “jalgrattapäev” trip — helped usher in a new era of neuroscience, psychiatry, and countercultural curiosity.

But Hofmann’s interest went beyond trippy experiences. He was fascinated by the biology of ergot — the fungus from which LSD is originally derived — and suspected that similar psychedelic compounds might be produced in other plant-fungus relationships. One plant in particular caught his eye: the morning glory.

Hofmann’s Hunch

Hofmann believed that certain morning glory species, especially those traditionally used in indigenous rituals in Central and South America, might harbor a hidden fungal partner — one that, like ergot, could produce mind-altering compounds. Biochemical evidence over the years supported his theory: researchers discovered that some morning glory seeds contained ergot-like alkaloids, compounds closely related to LSD.

The problem? No one could find the actual fungus responsible.

For decades, scientists examined the seeds and plants, suspecting a microbial tag-along. They knew something had to be there — after all, a quarter of over 200 sampled morning glory species from herbarium collections contained these telltale compounds. But the elusive fungus itself remained out of reach. A microbial ghost, hiding in plain sight.

Found in a Seed’s Fuzz

That is, until now.

Corinne Hazel, an environmental microbiologist at West Virginia University, finally spotted what generations of researchers had missed — a faint white fuzz on the seed coat of the species Ipomoea tricolor, a vibrant, blue-flowered morning glory native to Mexico and commonly grown around the world.

“We had a ton of plants lying around,” Hazel said in a recent interview. “They had these tiny little seed coats. We noticed a little bit of fuzz in the seed coat. That was our fungus.”

Hazel wasn’t just casually browsing. She had been studying how ergot alkaloids (the psychoactive byproducts of fungal symbiosis) are passed through morning glory root systems. Her trained eye picked up on the thin coating of mycelium, and that was all it took to change the story

After collecting the sample, Hazel and her collaborator, botanist Daniel Panaccione, performed microscopic and genetic analysis, confirming that they had indeed found something entirely new to science.

A Fungus with a Hidden Power

The newly discovered fungus has been named Periglandula clandestina, a nod to its secretive nature.

Importantly, early biochemical analysis reveals that this fungal species can produce high quantities of ergot alkaloids, compounds chemically close to LSD. These substances are what give certain morning glory seeds their mild hallucinogenic effects, long noted in both scientific literature and traditional use.

“Morning glories contain high concentrations of similar lysergic acid derivatives that give them their psychedelic activities,” explains Panaccione.

That potential is more than just chemical curiosity. As Panaccione points out, “Many things are toxic. But if you administer them in the right dosage or modify them, they can be useful pharmaceuticals.  By studying them, we may be able to figure out ways to bypass the side effects. These are big issues for medicine and agriculture.” In other words, what might be poisonous or mind-bending in one form could, with the right touch, be transformed into medicine.

Echoes of Ergot and LSD

This discovery also brings the story full circle, tying back to Hofmann’s early work with ergot, a fungus that infects rye and other grains. It was from this humble pathogen that Hofmann first synthesized LSD in 1938 while working at Sandoz Laboratories. He didn’t understand its effects until five years later when he accidentally absorbed a small amount and became the first person to experience an LSD trip.

LSD’s origin in ergot is a classic example of nature’s hidden complexity. Ergot itself was once responsible for “St. Anthony’s Fire,” a terrifying medieval illness caused by toxic bread. Yet from this same source came one of the most powerful compounds to influence psychiatry and neuroscience.

Now, with Periglandula clandestina, scientists have uncovered another chapter in this fungal-psychedelic saga — this time, not from grains, but from garden flowers.

A Future in Psychedelic Science?

Beyond its intriguing origins, this fungus could help scientists better understand how ergot alkaloids are produced, opening up possibilities for more targeted pharmaceutical production. Instead of relying on synthetic methods or cultivating toxic fungi, researchers could study P. clandestina as a model for safe, scalable production of these compounds.

Genetic studies of the new fungus may also uncover how this unusual symbiotic relationship evolved, and how its chemical toolkit developed. Such insights might even help scientists design more effective or safer psychoactive therapies, or find new uses entirely.

From Hidden Fuzz to Scientific Spotlight

It’s astonishing to think that such a significant discovery came from something as unassuming as a faint layer of fuzz on a seed. But in science, small details can reveal big truths. For researchers chasing the mysteries of plant-fungal partnerships, Periglandula clandestina is a long-awaited missing puzzle piece.

And for those following the legacy of Albert Hofmann, it’s another reminder that curiosity, observation, and a deep respect for nature’s hidden connections can still lead to revolutionary insights.

After all, as Hofmann himself once wrote, post LSD trip:

“I was completely astonished at the beauty of nature… to see things as they really are.”

Now, thanks to this new discovery, we’re seeing things — quite literally — that had been hiding in plain sight all along.