Mushrooms are a very precious gastronomic good, but, as we already know, not all mushrooms are edible and the ingestion of poisonous mushrooms can cause serious and even fatal poisoning. But, let’s go by parts: what is a mushroom?
Difference between mushroom and mushroom
Contrary to what many people think, a mushroom is not an organism in itself, and neither is a mushroom the same as a fungus. Mushrooms are the fruiting body or carpophor of a type of fungi called macromycetes. In other words, mushrooms are a macroscopic organ (visible to the naked eye) that is responsible for carrying out the sexual reproduction of these organisms. The rest of the fungus is called mycelium and consists of a set of filaments (hyphae), generally buried, which are responsible for other functions such as growth and nutrition.
Mushroom picking
Many people are fond of gathering wild mushrooms. However, to carry out a safe and respectful collection with the environment, different considerations must be taken into account. First of all, in some communities mushroom picking is regulated and a permit needs to be obtained, especially to be able to collect substantial quantities. For example, in some regions you can collect up to 3 kilos per person without the need for a license, but the regulations are variable so the correct thing to do before leaving is to inform yourself well about the regulations in your locality. On the other hand, it is not advisable to rake the ground when picking the mushroom, because the mycelium can be damaged, and their thing is to transport the mushrooms in a wicker basket that allows the spread of spores that allow the growth of new fungi.
Regarding health safety, it is necessary to have a minimum knowledge of mycology to collect edible mushrooms: one of the first lessons will be to know well the main poisonous mushrooms that you can find in your area and, of course, not eat no mushroom that you cannot safely recognize or that has not been identified by an expert. In addition, it is generally better to refrain from eating raw mushrooms : some are safe once cooked, because cooking causes them to release their toxins, but they can be deadly if eaten raw.
In this gallery we present you some of the most poisonous mushrooms in the world. It is very dangerous to eat them, but some of them are so beautiful and fascinating that they are worth knowing.
Note: the information on mushrooms found in the Iberian Peninsula has been taken from the guide “Setas de Madrid”, written by researcher Francisco de Diego Calonge and edited by the Community of Madrid.
