The Big, Bad Book of Botany: The World's Most Fascinating Flora

The Big, Bad Book of Botany introduces unusual plants from around the world, combining history, mythology, lore, and science. Some plants were once more valuable than gold due to their rarity. Others appear in ancient mythology with attributed magical abilities, including the power to turn people to stone. The book covers plants used by assassins to kill kings and by sorcerers in revival rituals, as well as vegetation with healing properties that have been largely forgotten with modern medicine. Organized alphabetically, the book pairs current biological information with unusual facts about the plant kingdom. It includes a species more poisonous than a cobra and a prehistoric plant that could move. Largo traces the history of vegetables and fruits and their agricultural development, exploring topics ranging from the world's first tree to whether plants possess telepathic abilities. Featuring over 150 photographs and illustrations, this A-to-Z encyclopedia covers plants for readers of all ages.