The Poison Tree: Selected Writings of Rumphius on the Natural History of the Indies

Illustrated with sixteen plates from the first edition of Ambonese Herbarium, The Poison Tree demonstrates why Rumphius was the greatest authority on tropical flora of the time, exercising considerable influence on subsequent research, and recognized as a major source by specialists in the field. The work is also an intriguing source book on native use of plants in the seventeenth century, native customs, lore, religion, and historical information.

E.M. Beekman is a poet and novelist who has published widely on Dutch culture and edited and translated anthologies of the writings of Paul van Ostaijen and Multatuli.