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USAGE: Words for fungi (mushrooms/toadstools/champignons/etc)

From:Mark J. Reed <markjreed@...>
Date:Tuesday, February 1, 2005, 21:02
We seem to be agreed that there is a general, broad category called "fungi"
(singular "fungus"), which includes both umbrella-shaped and
non-umbrella-shaped, edible and inedible varieties.

We are further in agreement that edible umbrella-shaped fungi are
"mushrooms".

Past this point, disagreement sets in.  Inedible umbrella-shaped fungi
are most commonly considered "toadstools", but some use either
"mushroom" or "toadstool" to refer to all umbrella-shaped fungi
regardless of edibility.   (Hm.  Does anyone use the terms completely
interchangeably?)

Is there any general term more specific than "fungus/i" to
refer specifically to the non-umbrella-shaped varieties, or to
edible/inedible varieties regardless of shape?

-Marcos

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H. S. Teoh <hsteoh@...>