Some UK mushrooms are easy to identify so quite safe to eat, the Giant Puffball, Beefsteak Fungus, Porcelain Fungus, Cauliflower Fungus, Dryads Saddle, the Hedgehog Fungus, if you are very lucky the Truffle, Wood Ears (as long as they are growing on elder) and Chicken of the Woods (as long as it is not growing on a Yew tree). These rules don’t mean all other mushrooms are safe but help rule out some of the nastier types. I know I have already mentioned this but it is by far the most important rule. Finally don’t consume any mushrooms unless you are 100% sure of what they are.Again you will be missing out on some good mushrooms but more importantly you won’t be picking poisonous ones. Avoid mushrooms with red on the cap or stem.You may be missing out on some good edible fungi but it means you will be avoiding the deadly members of the Amanita family. Avoid mushrooms with white gills, a skirt or ring on the stem and a bulbous or sack like base called a volva.Some good rules apply for avoiding poisonous mushrooms if you are a novice ‘If you see other animals eating them they are ok.’ This rule is not true, many animals can eat poisonous fungi with no ill effects.‘Mushrooms growing on wood are safe.’ No not all of them are and some are deadly, like the Funeral Bell.‘It’s ok if you can peel the cap.’ It is easy to peel a Death Cap.There are some apparent rules for picking safe mushrooms but these are just fanciful if not downright dangerous Some poisonous mushrooms can kill, so you must be able to accurately name the fungus and be 100% sure of what it is before consumption. The simple answer to this is that you can’t tell the difference without identifying the individual mushroom you have found. How to Tell the Difference Between Poisonous and Edible Mushrooms 29th April 2014
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