Contents Introduction 1 Part 1: Poisonous Past Chapter 1: Cure or Kill Medicine 9 Chapter 2: Witches, Shamans, and Indigenous Healers 17 Chapter 3: Murder Most Foul 23 Chapter 4: Poison Pens and Deadly Gardens 31 Chapter 5: There's a Fungus Amongus 37 Part 2: Classic Killers Aconite: The Queen of Poisons 47 Autumn Crocus: Medea's Favorite 51 Bryony: Fake Mandrake 55 Datura: Delirium and Deities 59 Deadly Nightshade: Beauty and a Beast 63 Hellebore: Madness and Alchemy 67 Hemlock: Execution and Murder 71 Henbane: Witches, Magic, and Beer 75 Mandrake: Screams, Dogs, and Fakes 79 Poppy: Nothing but Trouble 83 Strychnine Tree: Of Mice and Men 87 Yew: Memento Mori 91 Part 3: Baneful Backyard Arnica: Mistaken Identity 97 Brugmansia: Psychedelic Brews 101 Castor Oil Plant: Deadliest in the World 105 Cherry Laurel: Subtle and Quick 109 Daffodil: Flower of Hell 113 Foxglove: Fairy Trickery 117 Lily of the Valley: Good Luck, Bad Luck 121 Morning Glory: Xochiquetzal and the Virgin Mary 125 Oleander: Urban Legends and a Pirate 129 Pennyroyal: Fleas and Contraception 133 Rhubarb: What's Old Is New Again 137 Tansy: Antithesis of Its Name 141 Part 4: Ominous Others Broom: Marriage and a Royal Name 147 Buttercup: Crazy for Crowfoot 151 Corn Cockle: Spare the Weed, Spoil the Grain 155 Cuckoopint: Sex and Saints 159 Darnel: Dim, Drunk, and Double Whammy 163 Hemp: Gallows, Hashish Eaters, and Assassins 167 Mistletoe: Mystique and Dung 171 Rue: The Eyes Have It 175 Savin Juniper: A Long Tragic Legacy 179 Tobacco: Profits over People 183 Water Dropwort: Die with a Smile 187 Wormwood: Two Types of Spirits 191 Part 5: (Dis)Honorable Mention Birthwort: Ticking Time Bomb 197 Calabar Bean: Back Off, Belladonna 199 Dieffenbachia: Don't Ditch It 201 Giant Hogweed: Striking and Dangerous 203 Manchineel: Tree of Death 205 Pokeweed: From Ink to Port 207 Rosary Pea: Pray Carefully 209 Spurge: Ouch! 211 Upas Tree: Tall Tales 213 Water Hemlock: Deadly Toys 215 White Snakeroot: Poisonous Milk 217 Yellow Jessamine: Untoward Symptoms 219 Part 6: Frightful Fungi Brown Roll-Rim: Fatal Error 223 Dead-Man's-Fingers: Just Plain Creepy 225 Death Cap: Render unto Caesar 227 Destroying Angel: Beware the Wolf 231 Ergot: From Plagues to the Counterculture 235 False Morel: An Evil Twin 239 Fly Agaric: Santa and Soma 243 Funeral Bell: Don't Let It Toll 247 Ink Cap: Tippler Beware 249 Jack-o'-Lantern: Trick No Treat 253 Liberty Cap: Symbol of Freedom 257 Webcap: Wicked Deadly 261 Conclusion 265 Selected Bibliography 267 Index 277.