Overview
A+ Leucistic is one of the best-known examples of leucism within Psilocybe cubensis.
For years, the genetic circulated under the name Albino A+ or AA+.
There was just one problem:
It wasn't actually albino.
A+ Leucistic produces dramatically pale fruiting bodies, but its spores retain the dark pigmentation characteristic of conventional P. cubensis.
That combination makes this genetic particularly useful for understanding the difference between what a mushroom looks like and what its pigmentation phenotype actually represents.
The A+ Lineage
Before there was AA+, there was A+.
A+, also called A-Strain, is an older P. cubensis genetic whose deeper geographic origin is not well documented. Historical community records associate its early commercial circulation with Ralphsters Spores.
The leucistic genetic emerged from this A+ lineage.
The most useful family tree is therefore:
A+ / A-Strain -> pale leucistic expression -> Albino A+ / AA+ -> more accurately described as A+ Leucistic
Historical records surrounding early cubensis genetics are imperfect, so the exact individual responsible for the original leucistic isolation is difficult to establish with confidence. What is much better documented is its relationship to A+ and the fact that the resulting pale genetic was widely circulated as AA+.
Why Was It Called Albino A+?
The answer is probably the simplest one:
It looked albino.
The fruiting bodies can become extremely pale, displaying white, ivory, cream, and subtle silvery coloration.
At first glance, calling a nearly white mushroom "albino" seems reasonable.
But biological classification requires looking beyond the cap and stem.
Once its spores are considered, the distinction becomes much clearer.
Leucistic, Not Albino
Leucism describes a reduction in pigmentation.
Albinism represents a much more extensive absence or disruption of pigmentation.
A+ Leucistic retains pigment where a true albino genetic may not.
The easiest characteristic to see is its spores.
A+ Leucistic:
Pale fruiting body -> pigmented spores
True albino:
Pale fruiting body -> dramatically reduced or essentially unpigmented spores
Community microscopy discussions surrounding AA+ have repeatedly documented its dark spores and specifically used that characteristic to distinguish it from true albino cubensis genetics.
Appearance and Morphology
A+ Leucistic produces strikingly pale fruiting bodies.
Caps can range from white and ivory to cream, occasionally retaining subtle warm coloration toward the center.
Stems are generally pale and can appear almost entirely white.
As specimens mature, the contrast between pale cap tissue and darker mature gills can become particularly noticeable.
Blue to blue-green bruising may also stand out strongly against the lightly pigmented tissue.
The overall morphology remains recognizably P. cubensis despite the dramatic change in coloration.
Spore Characteristics
This is arguably the most important feature of A+ Leucistic.
Its spores are not clear.
They are pigmented.
When mature spores accumulate together, they produce the dark purple-brown coloration associated with conventional P. cubensis.
That characteristic is one of the strongest observable reasons for classifying AA+ as leucistic rather than truly albino.
It also creates an interesting visual contrast:
Nearly white mushroom.
Dark spores.
That contrast is precisely what makes this genetic so useful for pigmentation studies.
Spore Morphology Under Microscopy
Under microscopy, A+ Leucistic retains the general spore morphology associated with P. cubensis.
Typical cubensis spores are broadly ellipsoid to subellipsoid, smooth-walled, and possess a recognizable germ pore.
Individual spores appear much lighter under transmitted illumination than a dense spore deposit might suggest. The familiar deep purple-brown coloration becomes most obvious when many spores accumulate together.
Although individual measurements can be recorded during microscopy, an exact dimension such as 7 x 12 µm should not be treated as a strain-defining measurement for A+ Leucistic.
Natural variation exists even within the same genetic population.
Pale Mushroom, Dark Gills
As A+ Leucistic matures and produces spores, its gills can become visibly darker.
That creates another useful reminder that cap pigmentation and reproductive pigmentation are not the same thing.
The mushroom may appear almost entirely white from above while mature reproductive structures underneath the cap reveal substantial pigmentation.
For microscopy, that makes A+ Leucistic a particularly intuitive genetic for demonstrating leucism.
Comparing A+ Leucistic and Stormtrooper
Now that we know your Stormtrooper produces clear spores, these two genetics make an excellent comparison.
A+ Leucistic:
Pale fruiting body Dark purple-brown spores Leucistic phenotype
Stormtrooper:
Pale fruiting body Clear spores True albino phenotype
Macroscopically, both can look dramatically pale.
Microscopically, their pigmentation tells two different stories.
Comparing A+ Leucistic and Jack Frost
Jack Frost provides another useful comparison.
Jack Frost descends from True Albino Teacher and Albino Penis Envy and displays true albino characteristics, including dramatically reduced pigmentation in its spores.
A+ Leucistic predates many of these modern albino projects and represents a different pigmentation phenotype entirely.
That makes the two especially useful side by side:
A+ Leucistic demonstrates reduced pigmentation.
Jack Frost demonstrates true albino expression.
The word "white" describes both mushrooms.
It does not describe their genetics.
Blue Bruising
Blue or blue-green discoloration can occur where tissue is damaged.
Because A+ Leucistic begins with so little visible cap and stem pigmentation, bruising can appear particularly dramatic against the pale background.
As with other Psilocybe genetics, the intensity of this coloration should not be used as a quantitative measurement of potency.
Genetic Stability
A+ Leucistic has circulated for many years as a recognizable pale cubensis genetic, which is more meaningful than simply calling it "genetically stable."
Stability in mushroom genetics is not absolute. Genetic variation can continue to occur, particularly when material is propagated through spores.
What can reasonably be said is that the leucistic phenotype has been successfully preserved and distributed across generations and collections.
Its continued existence as a recognizable genetic is evidence of that preservation.
Potency
A+ Leucistic is sometimes assigned moderate-to-high potency ratings in commercial descriptions.
There is not enough controlled analytical evidence to treat a particular potency level as an inherent characteristic of every A+ Leucistic specimen.
Its pale pigmentation also does not indicate potency.
Pigmentation phenotype and chemical composition are separate characteristics and should not be conflated.
Why A+ Leucistic Matters
A+ Leucistic tells one of the simplest and most useful stories in the Lady Hyphae collection.
For years, people called it albino because it looked albino.
Then they looked at the spores.
The spores were dark.
That single observation changes the classification.
A+ Leucistic therefore demonstrates exactly why microscopy matters.
The naked eye tells us the mushroom is white.
The spores tell us there's more to the story.
Related Strain Guides
Continue with another research profile from the Lady Hyphae strain library.
