The Magical World of Mushrooms

"For centuries it has been customary to classify the living world into two main kingdoms, animal and vegetable, and, until comparatively recent times, it seemed obvious to include fungi in the latter category. However, lacking the pigment known as chlorophyll, which is contained in green plants, fungi are unable to make use of the sun's energy to build up carbohydrates from which a plant is formed. Instead, like animals, they obtain their energy through the breakdown of organic matter. Further, the hard parts of fungi are closer to the chitin which forms the casing of insects, than to lignin, which forms the hard parts of plants. A third category, the fungal kingdom, has had to be created to house these extraordinary organisms."
This is what I found out when I started reading the 'Green Guide to Mushrooms and Toadstools of Britain and Europe', by Gordon Dickson. It seems that if mushrooms were not attached they could be wreaking all sorts of havoc. I was fascinated by the common names. 'Witches' Butter' is my favourite! I love 'The Deceiver' too, and 'Poison Pie'. I find it slightly creepy that the hard parts are made from the same stuff as insects' hard parts.