Plants That Poison: An Illustrated Guide for the American Southwest

While you'll find in this book the expected items, like hemlock, ergot, and poison-ivy, some of the poisonous properties (and known track record of medical cases) for other common plants are quite shocking. Who would have known that there are reported cases of ONIONS having caused _______ before? [Won't spoil it for the readers of the book.] Here are some other examples that were shockers for me: "Children have been poisoned by the bark when making blowguns and whistles out of the stems." "In some countries where [common food item] were used as food, heavy losses of human life occurred. In this country, losses occur mainly in livestock." "Moderate amounts of raw or cooked [common food item] in the daily diet of experimental animals for more than a week have produced severe to fatal anemia." There is material on almonds, peaches, apples, peas, hydrangeas, ferns, mulberries, mushrooms, mustard, philodendron, caladiums, cherries, irises, eggplant, asparagus, poinsettia, potato, plums, rhubarb, tomato, elderberry, and dozens of others. For each plant, there is generally a short, one-page summary of description, poisonous parts, symptoms, and comments. The left-hand page is an excellent illustration of each plant. On the other hand, it is mysterious why sassafrass root -- used in the past for making root beer, but now apparently suspected of being carcinogenic? -- was left out of this otherwise excellent collection on plants. Fascinating and highly recommended!