description
Harpagophytum procumbens, a member of the Pedaliaceae or Sesame family, and
is a perennial herb with a succulent taproot. The annual, creeping stems can
be up to 2 m long. They grow from a primary (or “mother” tuber) whose
taproot can be up to 2 m deep. Secondary tubers (called “babies”) develop on
fleshy roots growing from the primary tuber. They can be up to 25 cm long
and 6 cm thick. The secondary tubers contain stachyose, a photosynthetic
storage product, thought to be an adaptation to drought conditions. The
leaves are simple and opposite, up to 6.5 cm long and 4 cm wide. They are
deeply or shallowly lobed. The flowers are tubular, 5-6 cm long, and are
normally light purple or pink (sometimes white), but yellow inside the tube.
The fruits are large, up to 15 cm in diameter, and have four rows of curved
arms with recurved spines. The seeds are dark brown or black. Devil's claw
flowers in the summer (November to April) and fruits from January.
common names & nomenclature
The common name Devil’s Claw comes from the appearance of its hooked fruit.
The hooks on the fruits can get entangled in animals’ fur and hooves, which
aids dispersal of the seeds.
Harpagophytum is a Greek translation of the common name “grapple plant”. The
specific epithet procumbens means prostrate, referring to the creeping stems
of the plant.
Also known as:
grapple plant, wood spider, wool spider, harpago, duivelsklou,
bobbejaandubbeltjie, kloudoring, veldspinnakop, teufelskralle, trampelklette,
sengaparile, kanako, lekgagamare, ghamaghoe
