The Write Stuff: Mushrooms v. Toadstools

Sunday, May 20, 2018

Mushrooms v. Toadstools

We are all, I am sure, aware that flowers come in many types, sizes, colours, scents and shapes.

We are all equally sure that they display such a tremendous variety because they wish to encourage the appropriate creature – bug, bird, reptile or mammal, to come and fertilise them and take away some of their own pollen to fertilise another plant of the same variety.

Sometimes flowers on plants are male or female in which case the male will wish to have its pollen passed to the required female plant.

The plants themselves are possessed with a magnificent array of armoury to prevent the unwanted visitation of those creatures who would do it harm as well as encouraging the 'good' guys to the table.

Beautiful Flowers

But what of fungi?

Fungi, whether edible or not, come in a vast range of colours and shapes.

Why?

What is the purpose of such a plethora of shades and shapes for a fungus?

The visible bit of a fungus is the mushroom or toadstool that we are all familiar with. But this visible part is only the ‘flower’; it is the part that disperses its spores so that it can continue to flourish elsewhere.

To this end there is only a need for one type of head. And yet there are thousands and thousands of different heads all appearing differently from one another.

What is the point of such diverse variety? They are dumping spores – end of story, really.

Perhaps someone can explain it to me.

I did mention that some can be eaten and some cannot but, firstly, let’s see if there is a difference between mushrooms and toadstools.

“There is no real, scientifically accepted difference between a mushroom and a toadstool, and the terms can sometimes be used interchangeably to refer to the same types of fungus. However, in common, non-scientific usage, the term “toadstool” is more often given to those fungi that are poisonous or otherwise inedible.”

So how do we avoid eating poisonous toadstools – like Fly Agaric?

Fly Agaric

Some good rules apply for avoiding poisonous mushrooms if you are a novice;

1. Avoid mushrooms with white gills, a skirt or ring on the stem and a bulbous or sack like base called a volva.

2. Avoid mushrooms with red on the cap or stem.

3. Finally don't consume any mushrooms unless you are 100% sure of what they are.

All of the Amanita fungi are poisonous – some of them are deadly. The Fly Agaric (Amanita Muscaria) is particularly dangerous. They are called this because they are traditionally used for catching flies but, be warned, in some countries using them may be illegal.

Most Puffball Toadstools are not poisonous. The problem here is that some look similar to young Agarics – especially the deadly Amanitas – such as the Death Cap or Destroying Angel Mushrooms. For this reason all Puffballs gathered when looking for Mushrooms should be cut in half lengthwise.