The Atlas of Deadly Plants: Botanical Tales of the World’s Most Intoxicating, Poisonous and Dangerous Specimens

After a slightly grisly introduction by ethnobotanist Sarah Edwards, this book by Perrone (host of the On the Ledge podcast and author of Royal Horticultural Society Advisory Committee on Houseplants) dives into details for 50 species of deadly plants, sectioned into the Americas, Europe, Africa, Asia, and Australia. Entries include family name, native regions, and readable descriptions of each plant’s appearance, useful traits, deadly properties, key chemical components, and notable interactions with humans. The book covers everything from South America’s hallucinogenic ayahuasca vine to the discovery of potentially cancer-fighting compounds in tropical Africa’s desert rose and the flame lily’s use as a treatment against lice, Guinea worms, and ringworm. Modern botanical and anatomical illustrations by Alice Smith (The Physick Garden), ample historical sketches, and stock photos add interest.