Ibicella lutea aka Double Claw

Ibicella lutea is an annual in the Martyniaceae family. The RHS calls it yellow devil's claw. Its native range runs from Brazil to northern Argentina. Useful Tropical Plants also lists Paraguay and Uruguay within its range. It grows in dry parts of subtropical and tropical regions. Plants occur near sea level and above 3,280 feet [1,000 metres]. It is not native to Britain or Ireland.

This plant spreads outward rather than growing tall and narrow. It reaches about 1–2 feet [0.3–0.6 metres] in height. Its width can reach about 3.3 feet [1 metre]. The database also gives a general height of 1.6 feet [0.5 metres]. A strong smell and sticky coating mark the plant. Insects can become trapped on it and die there. This has led some people to regard it as carnivorous. Yet the plant does not make enzymes that digest prey. Its status as a true insect-eating plant remains uncertain.

Grow it in full sun, in soil that drains well. The cultivation account places it in regions with drier climates. It gives no set watering schedule or cold-hardiness range. Plants take about 20 weeks from sowing to their first flowers. This is a growing interval, not a fixed bloom season. Propagation uses seeds soaked in warm water for 24 hours. Sow them where they will grow, in a warm, sunny spot.

Gardeners grow this species as an ornamental and for young fruit. Records note fruit crops in Brazil and nineteenth-century France. People pickle the young fruits or turn them into sweets. The evidence concerns young fruit, not every part of the plant. Some people also gather wild plants for local medicinal use. Traditional uses include seed poultices, described as softening tissue and reducing swellings. These records describe use rather than proof that a treatment works.

The plant has escaped gardens and become a troublesome weed. Reports link this problem to drier regions in particular. Its sharp, curved seed horns can catch on animals' feet. Animals can then carry them to new sites. Those horns can also cause serious foot injuries in some animals. This is a physical hazard, rather than evidence of poisoning. Its spread and hooked seeds matter when choosing a growing site.