Melmac: The Penis Envy Origin Story
The Notorious Penis Envy
Penis Envy is objectively one of the most well known and popular magic mushroom genetics out there. Whether you’re a microscopist, a mycologist, or just a good old-fashioned ‘shroom enthusiast, you’ve no doubt heard of Penis Envy (or its pigment-lacking counterpart, Albino Penis Envy).
It’s known and loved for its phallic shape (hence the name) as well as a higher-than-normal research potency. The genetic mutation associated with Melmac/Penis Envy doesn’t allow the caps to fully open, which paired with very thick stems causes the mushroom to look like a penis. It’s also believed that this mutation is linked with higher psilocybin production due to its consistently high potency.
But the history of this legendary mushroom is where the waters begin to get a bit muddied. The classic lore that gets told is that Penis Envy was found in the Amazon Rainforest by none other than the OG, Terence McKenna. While that is partially true, we will come to find that that’s not the whole story.
Homestead Book Company
Melmac, which can also go by the name Homestead Penis Envy, is the true origin of the Penis Envy that we know and love today. These spores were sold in mushroom grow kits from a store located in the Pacific Northwest starting in 1978. The store was called “Homestead Book Company” and it was essentially the Hot Topic of its time. The growkits with these original Penis Envy spores became so popular that they were even sold through The High Times magazine.
But where did these spores come from? Why do they go by so many different names? And are they really connected to Terence McKenna?
The Start of it All
As mentioned at the beginning, many credit Terence McKenna for finding Penis Envy in the Amazon. While that is somewhat true, that narrative is missing a ton of other critical information.
What is true is that McKenna did go to the Amazon and he did take a bunch of spore prints and samples of Cubensis mushrooms that he found growing there. But he never found a dong shaped mushroom that bears any resemblance to the renowned Penis Envy of today.
Tons of those original Amazon spores and their subsequent F1 generations were distributed far and wide by McKenna to other mycologists and researchers for study.
Rich Gee is the mycologist credited with actually creating the “modern Penis Envy”. He was a recipient of some of the spores collected by McKenna. According to Gee, during his research he noticed an aborted pin and decided to clone it. After several isolations of that abort, the iconic variety was born.
How Melmac Comes into Play
From there, Gee’s creation was sold in Homestead Book Company’s new, hot-selling grow kit. At first it was dubbed “Homestead Penis Envy”. Later, the book company coined the genetics as “Melmac” which is the home planet of the fictional character Alf (the main character of a very popular 80’s sitcom).
For more than a decade Melmac spores were distributed far and wide to thousands. The Homestead Book Company grow kit was revolutionary to the counterculture movement. It allowed for people to dip their toes into mycology and many view it as a part of opening the psychedelic Pandora’s Box in western culture.
Over time, with so many mycologists (amateurs and experts alike) working with Melmac spores, more and more isolations were formed. Eventually, Melmac slowly evolved into Penis Envy, one of the most iconic magic mushrooms ever.
Melmac vs. Penis Envy
So in other words, the contemporary Penis Envy is just a further isolation of those original Melmac spores. While they both exhibit that famed penis shape and are highly potent, there are still notable differences between the two.
The most prominent difference is the stems. Melmac tends to have very bulbous, uneven, almost alien-like stems. The other difference is that Melmac caps tend to be wavy or have ruffles along the edges. In contrast, Penis Envy has smooth and relatively uniform stems and caps. All in all, Melmac specimens tend to look much more mutated and bumpy compared to Penis Envy.
From Melmac to Penis Envy to Beyond!
While it has always been favored for its sensual shape and mind-bending capabilities, Penis Envy has a rich and complex history, slowly evolving over time. And we are watching the chronicle continue to unfold right before our eyes.
What initially started as Melmac (also sometimes still referred to as Homestead Penis Envy) all the way back in 1978, slowly morphed into the modern day Penis Envy. With at-home mycology only growing in popularity, creating so many more advancements in breeding, genetics, and cultivation we are seeing an exponential growth in insane, yet innovative, Penis Envy isolates and hybrids.
Those original Melmac genetics have been integral in many of the crazy new mushroom varieties we’ve been seeing come out. Many of which have quickly been gaining traction and notoriety in the community. Not only Penis Envy and Albino Penis Envy, but genetics like Bluey Vuitton, Tidal Wave, Jack Frost, Steel Magnolia, and even Enigma were all made possible because of Melmac. In our opinion, that solidifies it as a legendary mushroom!