Mushroom is a general term for any of various fleshy fungi including the toadstools, puffballs, coral fungi, morels, etc. and covers all edible (and inedible). fungi, especially those with a cap atop a stem. In the UK this will most often mean the white, cultivated (and relatively flavourless) mushroom available year round. In Italy it might refer more readily to the porcino (cep or boletus) mushroom.