Product Description
This essential guide to safety in the field features 90 venomous animals and more than 250 poisonous plants and fungi. The 340 line drawings make identification fast and simple; 160 species are also illustrated with color photographs. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (8)

Would like to see more pictures..
I have a few of these field guide books. This isn't my favorite. It's ok but I would like to see more pictures in color (there are some.)

A Field Guide to Venomous Animals and Poisonous Plants
Keep this with you in your pack or camp.Good reference, easy to read.The examples, pictures and drawing are very useful.

Handy
I decided to get this book after my daughter broke out in a nasty Poison Oak rash. I had no idea we even had Poison Oak in our yard.
This book is very informative, but I wish it had more color pictures, especially of the poisonous plants.

Quickly Received in Great Condition
Product arrived as guaranteed, and the book delivered everything promised. Wish there were more color pictures of the actual plants; but overall, it's a GREAT field guide for someone just starting out in learning about what to avoid while hiking, camping, or just walking through the woods.

Don't harm snake on cover !!
My little brother just gave me this field guide. I was shocked to see a picture of a completely harmless Scarlet Kingsnake on the cover of a field guide to Venemous Animals.

I like the field guide, but please people, if you see the snake on the cover - understand it is a Kingsnake and completely harmless, not a Coral snake which is probably what they intended to have on the cover.

Coral snakes do not have red bands between two black bands, and the type of bands they have are quite different.

If you see a Coral snake, please don't kill it either - leave it alone, but especially do not kill a harmless Scarlet Kingsnake thinking it was a Coral snake. Hopefully the next edition will fix this embarrasing mistake. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (1)

a good reference
This is a good reference for anyone interested in information on theeffects of plant poisoning.It is obviously written for people in themedical profession and will be a bit over the top for anyone who isn'tfamiliar with medical vocabulary.The only shortcomings I have found withthis is the lack of definative information on the amounts necessary foreffects to be seen and the lack of emergency measures to be taken in caseof poisoning.It is a shame that this book is currently out of print.Itis certainly worth hunting down at the local library or used book store. ... Read more

Product Description
The number of poisonous plants found in homes and gardens is shocking. House plants like dumbcane and castorbean, and outdoor plants like hollies, irises, and oleanders are toxic and found in many gardens.

The North American Guide to Common Poisonous Plants and Mushrooms is a comprehensive, easy-to-use handbook. The book is split into four main categories: mushrooms, wild plants, ornamental and crop plants, and houseplants. Each plant entry includes a clear photograph to aid the task of identification, a description of the plant, notes on where they commonly occur, and a description of their toxic properties. Plants are listed by common name to assist the non-specialist.
... Read more

Customer Reviews (5)

its more for a coffee table then a field guide
this book will do better on a coffee table then in a backpack. the list of plants are.. well your not gona see a adult eating enough to get poison from. maybe little children thats about it. author has good info in the front about type of poisoning & what to do. she/he also explained why so many thing are listed as poison even tho a lot of them are not poisoness. if you got some friends coming over to drink, this book will bring up some funny conversation. other then that, not very useful.

Best poisonous plant book to date!
Common Poisonous Plants by Dr. Nancy Turner is the top of the line field guide to deadly botanical beauties you could come across while exploring the great outdoors.
This book is top quality in information, details, poisoning symptoms, and content! It is well worth the expense, which is a good amount. The book itself contains, plants, mushrooms, and fungi that could be hazardous to humans and animals alike. The main highlight, by far, is the toxicity section on each of the poisonous plants. The symptoms of ingestion, (contamination) are well described and could easily compell the reader to shudder. The symptoms are specific to every single plant, so that an infected person's life could easily and efficiently be saved. There is also a very helpful insight on treatment of potential poisoning.
The book is so specific, it even tells you the degree of toxicity! Unfortunately, this book is very expensive and going out of print. So, any hardcore naturalist or interested botanist should purchase this online ASAP!

good tips regarding wild and garden plants
This is a beautiful book, both in the quality of the photos and the depth and readability of the information within.Perhaps its greatest strength is that it covers both native plant species and cultivated garden plants.This book is enough to convince any parent of the wisdom of edible plant gardening, and to shy away from the deadly, flashy ornamentals.

Plant Lore is Unequaled but Mushroom Data is Often "Lore".
Dr. Turners books are without a doubt unparalleled regarding her ability to use the trust she has cultivated with the indigenous peoples of the PNW. This gives her an entirely unique and very interesting look at hows plant were used by the native populations of this and surrounding areas. The people who would find her writing fascinating would cut across many disciplines from of course not only botany but anthropology, archaeology, paleontology; perhaps even modern "new-age" religious seekers. Having said that though, I dearly wish she would quit deviating in to the field of mycology. I'm not exactly sure where she gets her info from, but I suspect that working under the auspices of the BC Provincial Museum, that she has elected to defer to the often antiquated mycological texts from the among the ranks of those in the possesion of professors in the back rooms of the museum that are gathering as much dust as are the books that they in turn rely upon for ID'ing the fungi.

Plant Lore is Unequaled but Mushroom Data is Often "Lore".
Dr. Turners books are without a doubt unparalleled regarding her ability to use the trust she has cultivated with the indigenous peoples of the PNW. This gives her an entirely unique and very interesting look at hows plant were used by the native populations of this and surrounding areas. The people who would find her writing fascinating would cut across many disciplines from of course not only botany but anthropology, archaeology, paleontology; perhaps even modern "new-age" religious seekers. Having said that though, I dearly wish she would quit deviating in to the field of mycology. I'm not exactly sure where she gets her info from, but I suspect that working under the auspices of the BC Provincial Museum, that she has elected to defer to the often antiquated mycological texts from the among the ranks of those in the possesion of professors in the back rooms of the museum that are gathering as much dust as are the books that they in turn rely upon for ID'ing the fungi. ... Read more

Product Description
In the 20 years that have passed since the publication of the first edition, both Poison Control Centers and Emergency Departments have witnessed an expansion in the number and variety of poisonings caused by toxic plants. At the same time, there is a proliferation in the diversity of plants in our gardens and homes, continually expanding the range of possible consequences from exposure to toxic plants.This second edition of the Handbook of Poisonous and Injurious Plants is created to assist the clinician in the initial response to the needs of a child or adult exposed to a poisonous or injurious plant. It lists common plants that might lead to the development of the symptom complex and describes the mechanisms of action of the implicated toxin, additional clinical manifestations, and specific therapeutics for each presentation. It has methodically enhanced the previous edition’s botanical rigor with insights from both pharmacognosy and clinical medicine to make it a truly comprehensive source. With its thorough references and full-color photos of hundreds of potentially toxic and injurious plants inside the home, anyone who has an interest in plants will find this book useful outside in the garden or out in the wild. This book will fascinate botanists, horticulturists, and naturalists as well as hikers, gardeners, and all those who simply enjoy the wonders of nature and the great outdoors!With Foreword by Lewis R. Goldfrank, MD and Introduction by Andrew Weil, MD ... Read more

Customer Reviews (7)

Great reference book
This book had great color photos and was organized quite well.
I would recommend it over some of the older manuals with illustrations as it is a bit easier to
identify the plants and flowers.

Excellent text; great price
A very well designed text with perfect pictures.Very good for those in the toxicology field.Thank you.

book of poison
Hyped in NYT review. All things are toxic, including apple pits. Well, I would consider that if you chew that en mass. Pictures are a bit small. Good collection of common garden flowers.

Excellent Resource
This book fills a real void, since the publication of the first edition (in 1985 by Lampe and McCann) has long been out of print. There are over 150 species of plants discussed, detailing the description, location, toxin, toxic parts, clinical findings and management, each with a few key references. The photographs are of very high quality. Often there is more than one photograph of a particular species depicting the plant with and without flowers or perhaps a view from a distance and then a close up. This handbook is essential for all poison centers and toxicologists and would be extremely useful for any healthcare provider, botanist, or gardener who wanted to learn more about poisonous plants!

What I have been waiting for
This is the book that I have been waiting to own. As a mother of young children, an avid gardener, an ethnobotanical researcher, a naturalist, and a practicing physician, I think this handbook should be on the bookshelf of every member of these professions. The information provided is practical, insightful, and accurate, and the plant photos add life to a very abstract subject. It is also a beautiful book--in handy field guide proportions with vivid photographs-- this book can go out into the field with you or grace your coffee table. I only wish that it had been published 10 years ago, because it fills a niche left empty when the AMA stopped publishing their book on poisonous plants. Worth the wait--this book is better. ... Read more

Product Description

Written by respected professors of botany and pharmaceutical biology, this is the definitive account of plants and mushrooms used for poison darts, traditional medicine, ceremonial and spiritual purposes, and recreational drugs. Hazardous plants are commonly used as garden ornamentals, potted plants, or florist flowers, yet many people are unaware of the dangers posed by the toxins derived from them. In addition to exploring plants that are ingested, the authors also treat plants that cause irritation and inflammation of the skin and mucous membranes. A special focus is given to psychoactive plants, which can have stimulant, sedative, hypnotic, narcotic, or hallucinogenic properties. These include coca, opium, cannabis, and scopolamine. Mind-Altering and Poisonous Plants of the World is a must for gardeners, farmers, veterinarians, botanists, pharmacists, chemists, doctors, and poison control centers.

Product Description
Garden flowers, ornamental shrubs, and houseplants—as well as common species in the wild—can all contain substances poisonous to humans or animals. In fact, after medicines and household chemicals, toxic plants rank third in causes of calls to poison control hotlines. Non-native plants, both temperate and tropical, can be found in many domestic environments. This volume identifies potentially dangerous plants, giving comprehensive information on their distribution, kind and degree of toxicity, symptoms of their poisoning, and suggested treatment. Illustrations, both actual scale and enlarged representations of recognizable features, make each plant identifiable. Separate sections discuss the significant toxins found in plants, and the problems they cause, list plants of special concern to veterinarians, and present identification tables for berries and leaves. The second edition contains more than 50 percent new text and illustrative material, with special attention to North America. This practical reference, with updated glossary, index, and bibliography will be valued by a wide range of medical, veterinary, pharmacological, and botanical professionals for years to come. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (1)

An excellent book on poisonous plants
An excellent book on poisonous plants. As an botanist, I find that this book is an invaluable source of information on common poisonous plants. ... Read more

Product Description
A tree that sheds poison daggers; a glistening red seed that stops the heart; a shrub that causes paralysis; a vine that strangles; and a leaf that triggered a war. In Wicked Plants, Stewart takes on over two hundred of Mother Nature’s most appalling creations. It’s an A to Z of plants that kill, maim, intoxicate, and otherwise offend. You’ll learn which plants to avoid (like exploding shrubs), which plants make themselves exceedingly unwelcome (like the vine that ate the South), and which ones have been killing for centuries (like the weed that killed Abraham Lincoln's mother).

Menacing botanical illustrations and splendidly ghastly drawings create a fascinating portrait of the evildoers that may be lurking in your own backyard. Drawing on history, medicine, science, and legend, this compendium of bloodcurdling botany will entertain, alarm, and enlighten even the most intrepid gardeners and nature lovers.
... Read more

Customer Reviews (57)

great book!!!
picked this up at the library and HAD to own. the book is well written and FULL of information!! i highly enjoyed it and use it All the time. love it!!

Entertaining and Informative
First Line: A tree sheds poison daggers; a glistening red seed stops the heart; a shrub causes intolerable pain; a vine intoxicates; a leaf triggers a war. Within the plant kingdom lurk unfathomable evils.

If you're the classic "townie" and know nothing about plants or gardening, read this book. You'll be on the receiving end of an enjoyable education. That is, unless you're a Nervous Nellie. Then you may throw out any houseplants you have and refuse to step outside your door.

If you're someone like me who grew up weeding the garden, helping her grandmother out in her flowerbeds, or tromping around in the woods, read this book. Unless you have a degree in botanical poisons and trivia, you'll still be on the receiving end of an enjoyable education.

I grew up having been taught not to put everything in my mouth. I grew up having been taught that plants weren't always my friends. (Just ask my allergies.) I would also suppose that my penchant for crime fiction might also make me slightly more knowledgeable about the plant kingdom. Regardless of how much I already knew, I learned still more by reading this book.

This well-illustrated little volume has been stuffed with knowledge by author Amy Stewart. She includes "over 200 of Mother Nature's most appalling creations in an A to Z of plants that kill, maim, intoxicate, and otherwise offend." The short chapters are perfect for dipping into when only a few minutes are available to read, and they are packed with information. Latin names are included, but Stewart uses layman's terms to keep confusion at an absolute minimum.

Although I was familiar with many of the plants contained in this volume, I learned tons of fascinating history and trivia. I was also pleased to see that Stewart has been to the one and only poison garden that I have visited: the one at Alnwick Garden. In fact, the cover of Wicked Plants strongly reminds me of the gates to the Poison Garden there.

It's easy to learn more about these plants: Stewart has included lists of gardens and additional books for reading in the back.Novice or expert, you're bound to find something of interest in Wicked Plants.

Wicked Plants: The Weed That Killed Lincoln's Mother
Great book for both gardeners and non-gardeners.A co-worker lent me this book to read and I liked it so much I purchased three - one for me and two for gifts.

Wonderful Book for a Teen Age Boy or Anyone!
I bought this book for my teenage grandson, who is always interested in off beat, weird non-fiction stuff. This book captured his attention, was educational and filled with historical tidbits, fun and interesting facts about plants. He loved it, the title caught his attention and the book did the rest.

The Dark Side of the Plant Kingdom.
The reviews of "Wicked Plants: The Weed that Killed Lincoln's Mother & Other Botanical Atrocities", by Amy Stewart, were so favorable that I ordered it without much reservation.I was not disappointed.As one who has Datura growing in my garden and with oleander within half a block I am well aware of some of the most dangerous vascular plants, but Amy Stewart also throws in several taxa that are no longer considered to be plants- namely mushrooms, ergot and algae and I am somewhat familiar with them as well.Stewart does include a number of plants with which I was not familiar, as well as interesting anecdotes about many that I know.She has a very entertaining style and the book is easily read and quite fascinating.

If you would know about the dark side of common and some not-so-common denizens of the garden and countryside, this is the book to explore.From Jimson Weed to Henbane and Coca to Death Angels, as well as carnivorous plants and parasites, this is a surprisingly thorough book.My only gripe was that she left out Goat-head Burrs in her spiny plants.If you ever step on one of these you will know it!

All in all this is a great introduction to poisonous, carnivorous, parasitic, invasive and spiny plants of all types.A great read and one that will open the reader's eyes to the reality of some seemingly innocent organisms. ... Read more

Product Description

Product Description

Product Description
Can swallowing a poinsettia leaf kill you?Why do youhave to cook taro before you eat it?Is cooking with oleander woodreally harmful?Poisonous Plants of Paradise, a well-researched andgenerously illustrated guide to potentially harmful plants in Hawaii,answers these questions and many more in everyday language and in auser-friendly format.

Of value to both medical professionals and the general public, thishandbook describes each plant in words and color photos, thenidentifies the plant's toxins, mechanism of injury, incidence, signsand symptoms, and traditional and modern uses.The authors offerfirst aid recommendations and discuss advanced medical treatment basedon the latest published literature.

Health-care workers, naturalists, hikers, parents, and child-careproviders will find Poisonous Plants of Paradise a highly useful andinformative reference. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (1)

Beautiful and informative
If you live in Hawaii and have one or more young children, put this book on your shelf.If you garden in Hawaii, you'll find this an intriguing and informative book. Even if you don't fit either of those descriptions, this is a marvelous book to have, beautifully done, lucid text, remarkable photos. ... Read more

Product Description

Product Description
Part One illustrates and describes each poisonous plant and animal in a nontechnical manner. Part Two provides in-depth information of the toxins, symptoms, and treatments presently recorded in the scientific literature, as well as beneficial uses and folklore. A must for campers, hikers, bicyclists, kayakers--anyone who spends time in the Florida outdoors. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (3)

Nice and thorough
This book would be of interest to anyone interested in native plants and animals.Anyone interested in native uses of plants should definitely have a copy!

A great resource
I found this a fascinating read.The author provides a section on the toxic element, symptoms, and treatment of a wide range of plants and animals.For me, the book also serves to provide a list of plants that can be used to discourage nosy neighbors and their irritating little pets. What a great resource!

Fascinating & Informative!
This was a truly fascinating book!Each plant as well as each animal mentioned had a color photograph beside the description.The book was divided into two sections.Section one covered the distribution, appearance and habitat while section two was devoted to toxins, symptoms and treatments.
The table of contents was of particular interest to me.It had page numbers side by side that told where to find information in part one and part two both.
I was surprised at some of the plants that were toxic as well as some of the symptoms.Many of these plants are common houseplants.This book also gives beneficial uses of these plants.
This is definitely a book worth adding to your book shelf if for no other reason than having the symptoms and the treatments of toxic plants and animals close at hand. ... Read more

Product Description

As our earliest ancestors migrated out of Africa, they encountered entirely new floras. By sampling these, they found plants that appeared to (and sometimes did) heal wounds, cure maladies, and ease troubled minds. This process of discovery continues today, as multinational pharmaceutical companies bioprospect in the globe's remaining wild places for the next tamoxifen or digitalis.

The gardener and botanist David Stuart tells the fascinating story of botanical medicine, revealing more than soothing balms and heroic cures. Most of the truly powerful and effective medicinal plants are double-edged, with a dark side to balance the light. They can heal or kill, calm or enslave, lift depression or summon our gods and monsters. Often the difference between these polar effects is a simple change in dosage.

Stuart chronicles the tale of how the herbal materia medica of healing and killing plants has sparked wars, helped establish intercontinental trade routes, and seeded fortunes. As plant species traveled the globe, their medicinal uses evolved over miles and through centuries. Plants once believed to be cure-alls are now considered too dangerous for use. Others, once so valuable that they sowed the wealth of empires, are merely spices on the kitchen shelf.

David Stuart recounts engrossing human stories too, not only of the scientists, explorers, and doctors who gathered, named, and prescribed these plants but also the shamans, magicians, and quacks who claimed to possess the ultimate herbal aphrodisiac or elixir.

Customer Reviews (3)

A Good Primer on Plants ands Humanity
This book is a good introduction to the complex history of humans and plants. Indeed, this is such an essential relationship, extending from basic foodstuffs and clothing to biofuels, narcotics and medicines, that one could argue this relationship has defined us as a species. The author reveals many plants that I'd never heard of as being candidates for either further research or potential as new snakeoils for a society willing to believe nature hides the next "magic bullet" against what ails us. The fascination of people with sex, immortality, intoxication and beauty will continue to compel mankind to seek succor and solace in the chlorophyll kingdom. The marriage can never be broken, to be sure, but a lack of understanding of what plants can realy deliver will often result in people's disillusionment with the initial promise of paradise. Little wonder that Genesis used a fruit as the symbol of man's hopes and dashed dreams.

Fascinating and informative read.
I absolutely loved this book!Not only was it interesting and compelling reading but the book was full of incredibly obscure but very enlightening information about the usage history of the plants covered.Mr. Stuart also gave (in the majority of instances)the specific botanical names of the plants and other related species which is rare in non-scientific "History of Plants" books.The selection of illustrations was absolutely superb.

The only negative that I have about this book is that Mr. Stuart frequently listed vague references to scientific "studies"that proved his points about certain plants but there was no information, footnoted or otherwise, to definitively identitify these "studies". He also had a few scattered references to plants mentioned in unspecified publications.Who did these studies and who printed these stories?In a book of this nature, I expect to have facts and sources laid out a bit more thoroughly.

I still gave this book FIVE STARS because it was so much fun to read.I have lots of other books with which to cross reference and confirm some of the more vague references so I wasn't particularly distressed by the oversight although, in my view, if you are going to thoroughly research and document some things, then you should thoroughly research and document everything.

HIGHLY RECOMMENDED!

Piqued my interest, now I want to know even more . . . .
"Dangerous Garden" is an EXCELLENT book on the history of plants and how humans interact with plants, a topic that I stumbled onto only about a couple of years ago.The book is broken up into eight chapters that cover about 200 pages.There are lots of pictures and color plates, so each chapter is almost a stand-alone section that is just the right length to be read over an afternoon or spread out over a couple of nights at bedtime.

Each chapter covers a category of use or effect that humans have tried to get out of plants.The chapters are:
- The Great Afflictions, covering plants thought to affect diseases such as bubonic plague, malaria and leprosy.
- The Vital Organs, covering plants thought to affect vital organs such as the heart, stomach, etc.
- The Flight from Pain, or the search for pain-relievers, with an extensive section on opium.
- Chasing Venus, which is kind of self-explanatory.
- The Killing Plants, very self-explanatory.
- The Seven Ages of Man, meaning plants that are supposed to prolong life, maintain a youthful appearance, or otherwise slow the passage of time.
- The Mind, or plants that affect the mind and have been both revered and demonized because of it, including marijuana, cocaine, tobacco and qat.
- The Mysteries of the Gods, which covers plants used in religious and shamanic ceremonies, such as peyote.

The book is definitely not a lightweight and people looking for serious information will find a lot of worth.Plants are referred to both by their common name and their scientific names and the index covers both types of terms as well.The Bibliography includes books from 1516 to the 1990s, and the Author's Acknowledgments on the last page list a number of good websites as well.

Stuart discusses the historical uses of various plants and how some plants have gone from being cure-alls in the past to being either banned or sold in the grocery-store spice aisle now.He spends a lot of time on the concept of Janus plants, which are "two-faced" plants, meaning they can both harm and heal, and he also discusses fads in medicine, including a long period of time in the middle ages where if a plant had a visible effect it was thought to be better than one that didn't have a visible effect, so plants that made people sweaty, feverish, nauseous, sleepy, etc. were prescribed in amounts that are horrifying by today's standards.

Some authors talk down to readers, but this author absolutely does not and will jump from discussion of which 19th-century herbal contained which plant to discussion of the exact chemical names of the active alkaloids in a plant, if they are unknown than which other known alkaloids do they resemble, and what current research is being done and current uses and/or speculation.

There are also numerous little facts sprinkled here and there throughout the book which the author clearly can't spend much time on because of space but which are equally fascinating in themselves, such as:
- (pg 188) Morning glory has LSD-like components that have been much studied and have variable effects in mice, rabbits and humans, with some people feeling little effect and other getting a full "trip", although often an unpleasant one.
- (pgs 7-8) Rhubarb was once thought to be an aphrodisiac by the Romans and a cure for a form of malaria by medieval herbalists; until the mid-1500s it was only available to Europe as imported dried roots.
- (pgs 69-70) There was once a great hospital atop Soutra Hill in Scotland, south of Edinburgh, its first charter dated from 1108 (!) and it reached its epogee in 1462 and was finally closed in the 1500s, razed by the late 1800s and its drains, cesspits and middens began to be excavated in the 1980s.

I could go on for pages more, but I will digress.In short, if you like history and if you like plants, you'll probably like this book. ... Read more

Product Description
The number of poisonous plants found in homes and gardens is shocking. House plants like dumbcane and castorbean, and outdoor plants like hollies, irises, and oleanders are toxic and found in many gardens.

The North American Guide to Common Poisonous Plants and Mushrooms is a comprehensive, easy-to-use handbook. The book is split into four main categories: mushrooms, wild plants, ornamental and crop plants, and houseplants. Each plant entry includes a clear photograph to aid the task of identification, a description of the plant, notes on where they commonly occur, and a description of their toxic properties. Plants are listed by common name to assist the non-specialist.
... Read more

Customer Reviews (5)

its more for a coffee table then a field guide
this book will do better on a coffee table then in a backpack. the list of plants are.. well your not gona see a adult eating enough to get poison from. maybe little children thats about it. author has good info in the front about type of poisoning & what to do. she/he also explained why so many thing are listed as poison even tho a lot of them are not poisoness. if you got some friends coming over to drink, this book will bring up some funny conversation. other then that, not very useful.

Best poisonous plant book to date!
Common Poisonous Plants by Dr. Nancy Turner is the top of the line field guide to deadly botanical beauties you could come across while exploring the great outdoors.
This book is top quality in information, details, poisoning symptoms, and content! It is well worth the expense, which is a good amount. The book itself contains, plants, mushrooms, and fungi that could be hazardous to humans and animals alike. The main highlight, by far, is the toxicity section on each of the poisonous plants. The symptoms of ingestion, (contamination) are well described and could easily compell the reader to shudder. The symptoms are specific to every single plant, so that an infected person's life could easily and efficiently be saved. There is also a very helpful insight on treatment of potential poisoning.
The book is so specific, it even tells you the degree of toxicity! Unfortunately, this book is very expensive and going out of print. So, any hardcore naturalist or interested botanist should purchase this online ASAP!

good tips regarding wild and garden plants
This is a beautiful book, both in the quality of the photos and the depth and readability of the information within.Perhaps its greatest strength is that it covers both native plant species and cultivated garden plants.This book is enough to convince any parent of the wisdom of edible plant gardening, and to shy away from the deadly, flashy ornamentals.

Plant Lore is Unequaled but Mushroom Data is Often "Lore".
Dr. Turners books are without a doubt unparalleled regarding her ability to use the trust she has cultivated with the indigenous peoples of the PNW. This gives her an entirely unique and very interesting look at hows plant were used by the native populations of this and surrounding areas. The people who would find her writing fascinating would cut across many disciplines from of course not only botany but anthropology, archaeology, paleontology; perhaps even modern "new-age" religious seekers. Having said that though, I dearly wish she would quit deviating in to the field of mycology. I'm not exactly sure where she gets her info from, but I suspect that working under the auspices of the BC Provincial Museum, that she has elected to defer to the often antiquated mycological texts from the among the ranks of those in the possesion of professors in the back rooms of the museum that are gathering as much dust as are the books that they in turn rely upon for ID'ing the fungi.

Plant Lore is Unequaled but Mushroom Data is Often "Lore".
Dr. Turners books are without a doubt unparalleled regarding her ability to use the trust she has cultivated with the indigenous peoples of the PNW. This gives her an entirely unique and very interesting look at hows plant were used by the native populations of this and surrounding areas. The people who would find her writing fascinating would cut across many disciplines from of course not only botany but anthropology, archaeology, paleontology; perhaps even modern "new-age" religious seekers. Having said that though, I dearly wish she would quit deviating in to the field of mycology. I'm not exactly sure where she gets her info from, but I suspect that working under the auspices of the BC Provincial Museum, that she has elected to defer to the often antiquated mycological texts from the among the ranks of those in the possesion of professors in the back rooms of the museum that are gathering as much dust as are the books that they in turn rely upon for ID'ing the fungi. ... Read more

Product Description
Knowledge of plant toxicity has always been important, but the information has not always been reliable. Now, increasing international trade is drawing attention to the inadequacy of regional information and highlighting the geographical fragmentation and notorious discrepancies of thinly documented information. The international community of safety regulators, toxicologists, and poison control personnel requires a single reference compiled of verifiable, primary source reports of common poisonous plants.
Intended for just that purpose, International Poisonous Plant Checklist: An Evidence-Based Reference successfully addresses the deficiencies and gaps in the current literature. Using accepted botanic names, the book defines the known set of toxic vascular plants. The use of botanic names satisfies the need for an international standard of identity to support worldwide communication and commerce. Also, taxonomy based on common ancestry and genetic connections provides a rational basis for studying and using plant relationships.
The author supports toxicity information with references to the primary literature. Each entry includes referenced citations supporting the toxicity of the plant, symptoms and circumstances of toxic exposure, dosage and potency, chemical analysis, botany, pharmacology, mechanism and metabolism, and control.
Finally, the book cross-references selected synonyms and common names. The checklist is organized alphabetically with two types of entries. The main entry documents the toxic plants themselves and a secondary entry lists selected synonyms and common names cross-referenced to the main entries.
Including virtually all common animal feed plants, human food plants, and many plants that are sources of herbal products and dietary supplements, tonics, and therapeutic agents, this timely checklist compiles and verifies the known data on toxic vascular plants from around the world. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (1)

A core addition to professional and academic library Biological Sciences, Horticultural and Pharmaceutical reference collections
Poisonous plants are both detrimental and beneficial to human health. They are present (or potentially present) in every horticultural climate. Plant toxicology has been a field of study for centuries and while our knowledge of them in immense, every year brings new scientific discoveries. "International Poisonous Plants Checklist: An Evidence-Based Reference" by plant toxicologist D. Jess Wagstaff is an impressive and up-to-date encyclopedic compendium that defines toxic vascular plants of the world using accepted botanic names; provides support toxicity information for each plant from references to primary literature; and cross-references selected toxic plant synonyms and common names. Included are all known animal feed plants, human food plants, and many plants that are sources of herbal products and dietary supplements, tonics, and therapeutic agents along with verification of known data on toxic vascular plants from around the world. The "International Poisonous Plants Checklist" should be considered as a core and mandatory addition to professional and academic library Biological Sciences, Horticultural, and Pharmaceutical reference collections. ... Read more

Product Description
With Eyewitness Readers, children will learn to read --then read to learn!

There are plants that prickle, sting, or even munch insects for lunch! So, never bite a strange plant -- it might bite back! The 48-page Level 3 books, designed for children who can read on their own, contain more complex sentence structure and more detail. Young readers will devour these kid-friendly titles, which cover high-interest topics such as sharks, and the Bermuda Triangle, as well as classics like Aladdin. Information boxes highlight historical references, trivia, pronunciation, and other facts about words and names mentioned. Averaging 2,400 to 2,800 words, these books offer a 50/50 picture-to-text ratio. The Dorling Kindersley Readers combine an enticing visual layout with high-interest, easy-to-read stories to captivate and delight young bookworms who are just getting started. Written by leading children's authors and compiled in consultation with literacy experts, these engaging books build reader confidence along with a lifelong appreciation for nonfiction, classic stories, and biographies. There is a DK Reader to interest every child at every level, from preschool to grade 4. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (4)

Even my I-hate-to-read son likes this one
A great book if you're looking for an alternative to Star Wars, Transformers, Spider-Man and TMNT.My son actually read a book about plants! Imagine that.Thanks DK!

Two boys' review: Carnivorous plants are cool!
I have two boys, ages 6 and 4, who love all things creepy and icky. "Plants Bite Back" is a great addition to their book collection.

The DK Readers series is a great introduction to science for little kids. The quality, full-color pictures really draw in my sons. We use these books both for regular bedtime reading and to develop our sons' reading skills. What's great about the natural science books from DK Readers is that we can reinforce the vocubulary and learning with real world examples, whether at the zoo, at the park or in our backyard.

We've purchased DK Readers books on snakes, spiders, bugs and bacteria. The carnivorous plants in this edition were a perfect fit to their other science books.

Here's some other DK Readers science books that I recommend:

* DK Readers: Slinky, Scaly Snakes (Level 2: Beginning to Read Alone) (Paperback)
* DK Readers: Bugs! Bugs! Bugs! (Level 2: Beginning to Read Alone) (Paperback)
* DK Readers: Munching, Crunching, Sniffing, and Snooping (Level 2: Beginning to Read Alone) (Paperback)
* DK Readers: The Secret Life of Trees (Level 2: Beginning to Read Alone) (Paperback)
* Micro Monsters: Life Under the Microscope (Paperback)

Very good beginner book on carniverous plants
We bought a few carniverous plants from a nursery, which is how my kids got interested in the subject. I borrowed this book from the library. The book further peaked the kids' interest in the plants (they check the plants every day). We got a lot out of this book. In fact, we read it over and over and over again for so many time that I bought a copy.

The book has pictures and very simple of clear texts that explain several unusual plants: the carniverous plants, poison ivy and some other poisonous plants. I think this is a great book for kids.

Eyewitness Reader, Plants bite back
Another interesting book from DK that kids will love. It was well written and kept my interest all the way to the end. It's nice to have books that that are interesting and informative that my kids really like to read, I even learned something from this book. The photographs and illustrations are wonderful. Geography, history and lots of science all in one book. ... Read more

Product Description
The oddities of the plant kingdom cataloged for the reader's delight and disgust: from meat-eating to poisonous plants. ... Read more