Encyclopedia of Toadstools/Identifying Mushrooms

'''Identifying Mushrooms... ''' Before elaborating on the various aspects of toadstools, it is important to be familiar with mushrooms in general and to know how to identify and distinguish them.

Identifying mushrooms requires a basic understanding of their structure. Mushrooms are the fleshy bodies of fungi, so they usually consist of a stem and a top. Most mushrooms are gilled, meaning that you can find little ribs under their tops. Their spores are produced on these gills and fall from under the caps.

The standard method for the identification of mushrooms in the Wizarding world, dates back to medieval times. This rather commonly used method consists of an examination of the mushroom's characteristics. Colour, odour, taste, the presence of juices upon breaking, bruising reactions, as well as habitat and season, are all characteristics that can help identify a mushroom's identity. It is to be noted however, that tasting and smelling mushrooms can carry important risks due to the danger of potential poisons and allergens!

Another method of identification relies on the spore print of a mushroom. When cutting off the cap and placing it gill-side-down overnight, a powdery print reflecting the shape of the gills is formed. The colour of the print can often be used to help classify and identify mushrooms. Spore print colours include white, brown, black, purple-brown, pink, yellow, and cream, and very rarely blue, green, or red.

Due to the extremely similar appearance of several different varieties of mushrooms, it is important to attentively consider all their characteristics. When hunting for mushrooms, it is essential to be well-informed on any potentially dangerous species that may resemble the mushroom being searched for. Never consume a mushroom that you cannot identify with certainty. When searching for different species of mushrooms at the same time, it is also wise to store them separately, in order to avoid the blending of their spores and toxins.

