Devil's Claw, Unicorn Plant

Proboscidea louisianica (Mill.) Thell.

Pedaliaceae

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Devil’s claw, Unicorn Plant:

·         summer annual with large, heart-shaped leaves in the Pedaliaceae (Unicorn Plant Family) with long petioles; many sticky hairs on the leaves and stems

·         flowers in spikes at ends of branches—large showy, pink to white, funnelform

·         fruit is a curved, hairy, green pod that dries to split into dark “claw-like” structure

·         leaves, stems have bad odor, and sap may burn skin slightly; sap captures aphids and small insects

·         found in sandy, well-drained agronomic fields, pastures, fencerows