Regarding the Australian case history described by Southcott (1974), it is curious that the young girl's mother would allow her daughter to play in the garden alone (at such an early age), and given her pica propensity. Nevertheless, the specimens of Panaeolina foenisecii collected in the garden were later analyzed and found to contain no hallucinogenic properties.

While the reported symptoms and duration of effects are similar to those produced by psilocybin, it must be noted that the onset of the mind?altering effects of psilocybin normally occur within 15?30 minutes after ingestion. According to Southcott and the child's mother, the child's symptoms always seemed to occur between 6 to 8 hours after being allowed to play outdoors, or upon waking up after taking a nap. Southcott also mentioned that this child was having some minor psychological difficulties with her mother and this may have added to her symptoms.

It is also possible in this case that the child may have eaten other psychoactive plants and/or fungi from the garden than Panaeolina foenisecii. However, there is no evidence that the child actually ingested such substances, and no other species of fungi were observed in the garden of the child's home. Both Southcott (1989, Pers. Comm.) and the technical services of the Botanic Garden of Adelaide surveyed this garden for other species, including possible toxic plants, on more than one occasion. Southcott thus claims that no other known hallucinogenic plants were present in the yard. The child still lives with her parents at the same address in Adelaide and, now (aged 19) many years later, she appears to be quite normal for her age, and is presently employed. Although as a child, according to the mother, she did not initially admit to eating the fungi, later on she did acknowledge her ingestion of mushrooms. This admission, however, must be regarded with caution, and may have resulted from both repeated queries by the doctors and the mother (the child was put under pressure by being sent to the Children's Hospital for blood tests, i.e. 'pricks in the thumb'). Southcott (1989, Pers. Comm.) stated that "...when told that fungus eating would result in 'thumb pricks', the child at about age four, saw the light" and both the 'thumb pricks' and hallucinatory attacks terminated.

Whether or not Panaeolina foenisecii is psychoactive is unclear, but because of the above mentioned incidents, it is reported by some mycologists as dangerous to young children. For example, Smith and Weber (1980), who referred to this species as Psathyrella foenisecii, claimed that: "...the danger for toddlers is that parents may not be sure which species the child ate, since many lawn fungi fruit along with Psathyrella." Although Smith and Weber also noted the possible edibility of this fungus, they did not recommend ingestion: "Some populations may contain psilocybin and psilocin. It is one of the lawn species that toddlers find and eat when they are in the grazing stage. The danger to the child lies in the fact that we have 400-plus species [Psathyrella] of this genus in North America, and we know little of their chemistry. At least one case of serious poisoning in a child [cf. Southcott 1974], has been linked to this or a closely related species."

Orr and Orr (1979) also referred to the dangers this species might present to little children: "This very common little mushroom is frequently eaten by children who find it when they play, and this can be of concern because it contains small amounts of the psychotropic substances psilocybin and psilocin." However, if this species contains only a minute amount of psychoactive compounds, it would not cause the symptoms described by Holden (1965), Miller (1972), or Southcott (1974).

It is possible that when Panaeolina foenisecii is collected from lawns, taxonomic identification is made, and specimens are passed on for chemical identification, other species known to macroscopically resemble Panaeolina foenisecii are unintentionally included in these collections. The other species could include Panaeolus subbalteatus Berkeley & Broome and/or Panaeolina castaneifolius (Murr) Ola'h=Panaeolina castaneifolius (Murr.) Smith (see figs. 3 & 4). According to Stijve (1989, pers. comm.), this would explain why some collections of Panaeolina foenisecii have been reported to be positive for psilocybin.