Spore print purple-brown to black. Small to medium-sized mushrooms, the cap often brightly coloured and typically slightly tacky when fresh. Gills attached, stalk central, with a ring. Saprobic, on soil ilawns as well as small pieces of wood, in wood chip mulches, etc.

There are at least 4 species in New Zealand, all exotic, found on lawns, in parks and gardens.

Distinguished from Psilocybe, also a saprobe and found in similar situations, microscopically. Agrocybe has a brown rather than purple-brown spore print and a drier cap.

Most Psilocybe and all Stropharia species are introduced to New Zealand, and are common and widespread in human habitats such as rough pastures and wood chip mulches. Some Psilocybe species are found on dung.

Spore prints of both species often have a lilac tinge; they are distinguished by the occurence of chrysocystidia in Stropharia.

Five species have been reported from New Zealand, only those listed below have descriptions or images available from NZFungi.

Pileus regular, fleshy, often covered with a viscid pellicle ; gills adnate or adnexed, becoming purplish-brown at maturity; stem present, round which the veil forms a distinct ring; spore purplish-brown.

Distinguished amongst the Porphyrosporae by the presence of a distinct ring on the stem in conjunction with attached gills. Stropharia corresponds with Pholiota and Armillaria. Growing on dung or rich ground.