Agaric
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
An agaric is a type of fungal fruiting body characterized by the presence of a pileus that is clearly differentiated from the stipe, with lamellae (gills) on the underside of the pileus. "Agaric" can also refer to a basidiomycete species characterized by an agaric-type fruiting body.
Most species of agarics are classified in the Agaricales, however, this type of fruiting body is though to have evolved several times independently, hence the Russulales, Boletales, Hymenochaetales, and several other groups of basidiomycetes also contain agaric species. Older systems of classification place all agarics in the Agaricales, and the some (mostly older) sources still use "agarics" as a common name for the Agaricales. Contemporary sources now tend to use the term euagarics when referring only to members of the Agaricales. "Agaric" is also sometimes used as a common name for members of the genus Agaricus, as well as for members of other genera, for example, Amanita muscaria is sometimes called "fly agaric".
Fly agaric mushrooms as shown in the picture, were used by the Aztecs and Vikings for there hallucinogenic properties. People still do use them for this purpose, but doing so can be extremely harmful.
