The mandrake is a perennial herb in the nightshade family (Solanaceae) with a large taproot, often forked, that has been associated with human-shaped roots and magical folklore.

The pellets, known as nurdles or bio-beads, have washed up in enormous numbers on Camber Sands beach in East Sussex.

Only a small fraction of all plants are edible. Some of those that aren’t can do serious damage to a human’s health. Here are ...