This is my day three contribution to Becky’s April Squares: Top photo challenge.
Toadstool is simply a nickname for fungi that is often poisonous or at least inedible.
A Fly Agaric fungi cap photographed from above at Bickerton Hill, Cheshire.
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26 replies on “April Squares: Top of the Toadstool”
oh is toadstool really just a nickname . . never realised that, just thought it was like saying mushroom.
As far as I’m aware there’s no scientific definition of toadstool. It’s a nickname that seems to be mostly used to inedible or poisonous species and frequently used in children’s books. I never use the name when captioning but thought top of the toadstool read better than top of the fungi or top of the mushroom.
Agree Top of Toadstool sounds much better, and the fungi you found is what I think of when I think of toadstools!!
Yes, although the Fly Agaric fungi is a bit deceptive. It’s not as poisonous as many people believe and eating small doses can give the eater hallucinations (and an upset stomach). Some people wonder if the Vikings were using the processed fungi in their berserker moments. Apparently feeding it to reindeer and drinking the reindeer urine gives the psychotropic effect without the upset stomach.
Now why on earth would anyone think of the latter?!!!
I seem to recall reading that feeding the fungi to the village idiot and drinking their urine was also a method centuries ago. Also, getting the women of the village to chew it and spit out the resulting paste.
I am seriously worried about what you’ve been reading David!
Quite! Ugh!
“This nickname probably came from the fact that they looked just like a perfect spot for a toad to sit! Some people believe that the term “toadstool” means a mushroom that is poisonous. This belief may have come from the fact that many toads were considered highly poisonous.” And you always see this fungi in children’s fairy tales!
you see this is what I absolutely love about blogging, you always learn something 😀
A quick lookup on Google! Surprising how many myths there are!
Both the up and downside of google!
True! But I think I always thought of this fungi as a toadstool as I was a child who loved fairy tales! Though now when I think back some were incredibly black tales – Snow Queen, Little Match Girl. Not really stories for very young children!
Hans Christian Andersen had a very dark side
I knew most of that prior to Google. I used to lecture to natural history groups and something interesting while being disgusting always went down well.
ahh!!!
I was expecting a leprechaun to be sitting on top…
Great photo, I can never photograph this one!
My best location for the species is also very popular with slugs eating them. I have seen some very nice specimens ruined for photography by slugs. When I found this prime example I photographed it in as many ways as possible.
I love seeing red mushrooms. Every one seems to have a fairytale in it.
Thanks Susan. As the slugs hadn’t been at this one I photographed it in as many ways as possible.
Not something i’d want to eat! Great pic! 🙂
Stay safe, David!
Thanks Tom, you stay safe also. What is a little confusing about the Fly Agaric is that slugs apparently love eating them. At the same time I read somewhere that prepared and mixed with milk the fungi makes a natural insecticide.
I love the color and design. Beautiful, David.
Thanks Patti. It was such a nice specimen I wanted to make the most out of it.
You did!
[…] did you learn as much as I did last week. Not sure I’ll ever forget the burning snowmen, toadstool nicknames and owls in […]