A full-color illustrated guide to the natural history of the most poisonous plants on earth
This richly illustrated book provides an in-depth natural history of the most poisonous plants on earth, covering everything from the lethal effects of hemlock and deadly nightshade to the uses of such plants in medicine, ritual, and chemical warfare.
Featuring hundreds of color photos and diagrams throughout, Plants That Kill explains how certain plants evolved toxicity to deter herbivores and other threats and sheds light on their physiology and the biochemistry involved in the production of their toxins. It discusses the interactions of poisonous plants with other organisms--particularly humans-and explores the various ways plant toxins can target the normal functioning of bodily systems in mammals, from the effects of wolfsbane on the heart to toxins that cause a skin reaction when combined with the sun's rays. This intriguing book also looks at plants that can harm you only if your exposure to them is prolonged, the ethnobotany of poisons throughout human history, and much more.
A must for experts and armchair botanists alike, Plants That Kill is the essential illustrated compendium to these deadly and intriguing plants.
A full-color illustrated guide to the natural history of the most poisonous plants on earth
This richly illustrated book provides an in-depth natural history of the most poisonous plants on earth, covering everything from the lethal effects of hemlock and deadly nightshade to the uses of such plants in medicine, ritual, and chemical warfare.
Featuring hundreds of color photos and diagrams throughout, Plants That Kill explains how certain plants evolved toxicity to deter herbivores and other threats and sheds light on their physiology and the biochemistry involved in the production of their toxins. It discusses the interactions of poisonous plants with other organisms--particularly humans-and explores the various ways plant toxins can target the normal functioning of bodily systems in mammals, from the effects of wolfsbane on the heart to toxins that cause a skin reaction when combined with the sun's rays. This intriguing book also looks at plants that can harm you only if your exposure to them is prolonged, the ethnobotany of poisons throughout human history, and much more.
A must for experts and armchair botanists alike, Plants That Kill is the essential illustrated compendium to these deadly and intriguing plants.
Introduction 8 1 Why Some Plants Are Toxic 10 2 Targets In The Body 28 3 Matters Of The Heart 44 4 Breaking The Brain 62 5 More Than A Weakness Of The Knees 90 6 Starting As An Irritation 106 7 Guts Without The Glory 132 8 Organ Failure 154 9 Cell Poisons 176 10 Turning Foes Into Friends 194 Glossary 218 Further Reading 219 Index 220 Acknowledgements And Picture Credits 224
Elizabeth A. Dauncey is a freelance plant toxicologist and the author of Poisonous Plants: A Guide for Parents and Childcare Providers. Sonny Larsson is a licensed pharmacist at the Swedish Poisons Information Centre.
"[Plants That Kill] will appeal to everyone interested in plants,
from the amateur gardener to the professional botanist."---Barbara
Paul Robinson, Wall Street Journal
"Elizabeth Dauncey and Sonny Larsson have provided the world with a
book that is detailed and comprehensive in the information it
supplies while, at the same time, is a model of simplicity in its
outlay and in allowing the reader to find quickly the particular
piece of information being sought. It has been a long time since I
was as impressed as I am by Plants that Kill."---Ian Lipke,
Queensland Reviewers Collective
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