A Deathly Compendium of Poisonous Plants: Wicked Weeds and Sinister Seeds

This nonfiction collection introduces 25 poisonous organisms: 24 plants and one fungus. Each short chapter uses recurring sections to identify the organism, describe its effects on the human body, and share notable details from science or history. The book includes examples such as a hallucinogenic fungus associated with the Salem Witch Trials and a plant linked to Abraham Lincoln’s mother’s death. It explains that plants developed toxins to avoid predators and recounts historical and more recent deaths associated with poisonous species. Botanical art, photographs, historical images, a glossary, source notes, and bibliography accompany the text.