The exact definition of “vegetable” may vary simply because of the many parts of a plant consumed as food worldwide, including:
- Roots
- Tubers
- Bulbs
- Leaves and Stems
- Flowers
- Fruits
- Seeds
More specifically, a vegetable may be defined as “any plant, part of which is used for food,” a secondary meaning then being “the edible part of such a plant.” Falling outside these definitions are edible fungi (such as mushrooms) and edible seaweed which, although not parts of plants, are often treated as vegetables.