Toadstool

Toadstool is a non-scientific term used to describe certain mushrooms, typically those that are poisonous, inedible, or considered dangerous. The word is part of folklore and popular language rather than a formal taxonomic category. In common usage it often refers to umbrella-shaped fungi with a distinct stalk (stipe) supporting a cap (pileus).

The toadstool label covers a broad range of genera and species. It is not a precise scientific group, and many edible mushrooms are not called toadstools. Notable poisonous examples frequently cited include Amanita muscaria (fly agaric), with a bright cap, and Amanita phalloides (death cap), both of which can be lethal. Other deadly or skin-irritant forms such as Galerina marginata and several Lepiota species are sometimes included in discussions of toadstools. The term thus signals caution rather than a reliable identification guide.

Habitat and ecology vary: toadstools appear in forests, grasslands, and urban areas, often after rain. They are the fruiting bodies of fungi that live as saprotrophs or mycorrhizal partners, breaking down organic material or forming symbiotic relationships with plants. The appearance of a toadstool does not by itself indicate edibility or toxicity, and visual cues can be misleading.

Safety and handling: never consume wild mushrooms unless identified with certainty by an expert. Poisoning can range from mild gastrointestinal upset to life-threatening liver damage. If ingestion occurs or poisoning is suspected, seek medical help or contact a poison control center. Toadstools are a prominent trope in culture and fiction, frequently depicted as colorful, dangerous mushrooms in folklore and media.