Proboscidea parviflora (Wooton) Wooton & Standl.

Taxonomy and Common Names

Proboscidea parviflora (Wooton) Wooton & Standl. is a species of flowering plant in the family Martyniaceae, commonly known as doubleclaw and red devil's-claw.

Native Range and Habitat

It is native to the desert southwest of the United States and northern Mexico, where it grows in sandy, dry, and disturbed habitats, and blooms during the hot summer.

Growth Form

This species is an annual herb that grows from a taproot and produces sprawling, spreading stems.

Leaf Characteristics

Its leaves have blades that are rounded, oval, or roughly triangular, reaching up to 15 centimetres (6 inches) long, with smooth edges or faint lobes or teeth.

Inflorescence Structure

The inflorescence is an arrangement of several showy bell-shaped flowers with five lobes that flare several centimeters wide.

Flower Coloration

Flowers range in color from white to pink or purple, sometimes with mottling or lines of spots in the throat, and often have a purple blotch on the upper lip.

Nectar Guide

A yellow nectar guide extends along the lower lip.

Fruit Structure

The fruit is a large seed pod many centimeters long: a cylindrical body that tapers into a very long, thin, curving tail.

Dry Fruit Characteristics

As the fruit dries, the tail cracks open and splits into two hooked, claw-like halves.

Traditional Human Uses

Local Native Americans used the young fruits and seeds for food, and used the dark-colored hardened dry fruits in basketry.