Toadstool (Fungus, Mushroom, Fungi)

• Common Name: Toadstool (Fungus, Mushroom, Fungi)
• Latin Name: Amanita phalloides, Amanita virosa, Cortinarius rubellus and C. orellanus, Amanita pantherina, Amanita muscaria, Gyromitra esculenta, Clitocybe rivulosa, Boletus satanas, Agaricus xanthodermus, Omphalotus olearius, Gallerina marginata.
• Family Name: Agaricaceae, Amanitaceae, Cortinariaceae, et al.

Toadstools are neither plants nor animals, but the fruiting body of a fungus that often grows in damp and dark conditions, but also appears in grassland and woodland areas. Unless you have expertise in identifying fungi, you should only feed store-bought mushrooms, as there are many highly poisonous mushrooms and toadstools that look very similar to edible ones. It is important to note that scientists estimate there are several million species of fungi in the world (although fewer than 100,000 of these have been described), and also that many of the botanic families of fungi contain both edible and toxic species.
 
Some of the more common toxic mushrooms in Britain include:  Amanita phalloides (Death Cap), Amanita virosa (Destroying Angel), Cortinarius rubellus and C. orellanus (Deadly Webcap/Fool's Webcap), Amanita pantherina (Panther Cap), Amanita muscaria (Fly Agaric), Gyromitra esculenta (False Morel), Clitocybe rivulosa (Fool's Funnel), Boletus satanas (Devil's Bolete), Agaricus xanthodermus (Yellow-stainer), Omphalotus olearius (Jack o' Lantern), Gallerina marginata.  See also Mushroom.