Edible mushrooms are the
fleshy and
edible fruit bodies of several species of macrofungi (
fungi which bear fruiting structures that are large enough to be seen with the
naked eye). They can appear either below ground (
hypogeous) or above ground (
epigeous) where they may be picked by hand. Edibility may be defined by criteria that include absence of
poisonous effects on humans and desirable
taste and
aroma.