Hortus Curious: Discover the World's Most Weird and Wonderful Plants and Fungi

Plants are truly awe-inspiring. They can be vast, minute, smelly, or spectacularly ugly. Some plants live on their own or by growing off others. Some live by air and water, while others are carnivorous, eating the creatures around them. Some plants look remarkably like animals, while others have unusual symbolism. Some plants even have special cultural significance. This book explores them all, bringing together the most peculiar and most fascinating plants on the planet—celebrating them in all their diverse splendor. Split into five chapters, covering everything from poisonous plants to painkilling ones, Michael Perry explains, in an authoritative yet quirky way, exactly what makes each plant special. With exquisitely detailed illustrations of all the different species, this is an informative, humorous, and beautiful gift for all those who love plants—whether they want to grow them or not.