Author(s): Kew Royal Botanic Gardens

Botany & Plant Sciences

A lavishly illustrated introduction to meat-eating plants

Fresh as a daisy, pretty as a rose: most plants are commonly characterized by their gentle beauty or delicate sensory qualities. Carnivorous plants, on the other hand, are quite literally out for blood. These beautiful yet deadly plants use their singular adaptations--like sweet nectar, mesmerizing colors, or biological restroom facilities--to trap, kill, and eat everything from insects to crustaceans, reptiles to rodents. This pocketbook from Kew showcases forty examples of this fascinating group of vegetal meat-eaters, from the famed Venus flytrap to the lesser-known but equally intriguing pitcher plant and sundew. Each plant is paired with a striking painting drawn from Kew's Library, Art and Archives, one of the most extensive botanical libraries in the world. Featuring an introduction by weird plant expert Chris Thorogood, this book is a perfect overview of those plants that turn the natural food chain on its head.