Mushrooms are the fruiting body of fungus, the part that usually exists above ground whilst the main body of the fungus is often out of sight.
Some mushrooms are edible, whilst others are deadly - for example, the death cap looks like a cap and will kill you.
It is possible to harvest wild mushrooms, but this is not something that an amateur should really be doing, as only edible and non-toxic varieties want harvesting, and someone who doesn't know what they are doing could pick the wrong types.
Many different types are regularly eaten, such as the common white, more exotic types such as the oyster or shiitake or the really expensive truffle. Mushrooms can be cooked, but they can also be eaten raw. Many types are grown commercially, but others, often the wild varieties, are grown wild but commercially harvested. Mushrooms come in a wide variety of different sizes, shapes, consistencies and flavours. Mushroom growing kits, so you can grow your own at home, can be bought, and the vegetarian protein product Quorn is made from fungus.
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