How do you tell the difference between a mushroom and a toadstool?

Answer 1

In general toadstools are hard or the term is often used to describe mushrooms that are not edible. Mushrooms are soft. Both words can and are used sometimes interchangeably. So you should go to a good site on the net or to the library and get a good descriptive book about edible/non-edible mushrooms [ with good illustrations].

There are some poisonous, as in fatal, mushrooms out there that kill you quickly if you eat them by mistake. The scary thing is that over the years some poisonous mushrooms have mutated to look like edible ones.

When I was a kid we picked rusulas-they were red, green or purple-topped. We NEVER got sick.A few years ago it was discovered that there is now a rusula mimic that is poison. Pictures of it look so much like the edible rusula, that I don't pick rusulas any more.

Honey mushrooms are another one. DELICIOUS and we picked them with no worries. Now there are many similar-looking mushrooms that at the very least can make you sick or worse.

Wild mushrooms are sooooooooooooo delicious!!! Check out oyster mushrooms, choral mushrooms, chicken-of-the-woods for a few delicious possibilities. I believe that it makes sense to take a hands-on course where the teacher takes you right into the woods to find all types, or has the real mushrooms to show you, because mushrooms are nothing to fool around with if you don't know what you need to to be safe.

Good luck!!.

Answer 2

Toadstools are actually mushrooms. The word toadstool is simply used to decribe an inedible or poisonous fungus with an umbrella-shaped fruiting body. The word mush romm is usually used to describe any of various fleshy fungi of the class Basidiomycota, characteristically having an umbrella-shaped cap borne on a stalk, especially any of the edible kinds, as those of the genus Agaricus. There are many different species of toadstools and it is therefore very hard to give any specifics on how to tell the difference, however most toadstools will have a purple ring under the cap.

Answer 3

This Site Might Help You.

RE:
How do you tell the difference between a mushroom and a toadstool?

Answer 4

Don't have to tell. Toadstools are mushrooms.

Answer 5

Its simple, mushrooms make you grow bigger and a toadstool is a princess of a kingdom run by mushrooms.

Answer 6

Mushrooms, some, are edible, toadstools arent. But toaadstools are mushrooms.

Answer 7

Get The Field Guide Of Mushrooms.Or For or To...Mushrooms.

Answer 8

Toadstool has gills and a mushroom dosn't.

Answer 9

They make books on mycology. They are usually found on the bodies of the poor unfortunates who misidentify their spore. Literally, mushroom hunting can go bad quickly if you don't heed mycology warnings.

Answer 10

Don't guess with mushrooms id. They are nothing to fool around with. If you want to to know more take a course and/or join a club! http://www.mykoweb.com/na_mycos.html