Proboscidea louisianica subsp. louisianica
Family: Martyniaceae · Type: Herb · Not Native
Proboscidea louisianica subsp. louisianica is a non-native California herb in the Martyniaceae family.
Devil's claw is a naturalized annual found in the North Coast Ranges, North Coast Inner, Central Valley, South Coast Ranges, Southern California, and Peninsular Ranges in open, disturbed areas at elevations below 500 meters. Flowering from May to August, this plant produces white flowers with a purple tinge and darker markings. Growing with a taproot and stems reaching up to 20 centimeters tall, it develops broad, triangular to round leaves 5 to 20 centimeters wide. Its leaf blades are entire to shallowly indented, with an inflorescence that exceeds the leaf height and contains 20 to 40 flowers. The fruit develops as a narrowly ovate body 1.5 to 3 centimeters wide, lacking spines.
Identification and appearance
Key characters: 1 sympatric species. Key differentiator: white vs yellow flowers, taproot width vs stem base
Habitat and range
Habitat: Uncommon. Open, disturbed areas
Elevation: < 500 m
California counties: Kern, Lake, San Joaquin, Sonoma, Los Angeles, San Luis Obispo, Yolo, Glenn, San Diego, Butte, Sutter, Tulare, Colusa, Solano, Mendocino, Stanislaus, Shasta, Riverside, Napa, Santa Barbara, Ventura, San Bernardino, Fresno, Santa Cruz, Alameda
Outside California: to south-central United States (where perhaps native), eastern United States
Bloom period
Proboscidea louisianica subsp. louisianica blooms May-Aug.
How to tell it apart
vs Ibicella: Ibicella's beak splits into two curved claws; Proboscidea's beak remains a single curved hook.; vs Streptocarpus: Streptocarpus has straight, unhooked capsules; Proboscidea's capsules curve into a dramatic hook.; vs Harpagophytum: Harpagophytum has multiple radiating hooks; Proboscidea has a single curved beak.; vs Mimulus: Mimulus has tiny capsules under 2 cm; Proboscidea's massive capsules are 5-35 cm long.; vs Limosella: Limosella has tiny capsules under 5 mm; Proboscidea's are massively larger at 5+ cm.
Frequently asked questions
Is Proboscidea louisianica subsp. louisianica native to California?
No. Proboscidea louisianica subsp. louisianica is not native to California (recorded as not native).
When does Proboscidea louisianica subsp. louisianica bloom?
Proboscidea louisianica subsp. louisianica blooms May-Aug.
Where in California does Proboscidea louisianica subsp. louisianica grow?
Proboscidea louisianica subsp. louisianica occurs in Kern, Lake, San Joaquin, Sonoma, Los Angeles, San Luis Obispo, Yolo, Glenn and other counties, at elevations of < 500 m.
What plant family does Proboscidea louisianica subsp. louisianica belong to?
Proboscidea louisianica subsp. louisianica is in the Martyniaceae family, genus Proboscidea.
What habitat does Proboscidea louisianica subsp. louisianica grow in?
Proboscidea louisianica subsp. louisianica grows in Uncommon. Open, disturbed areas.
Related species
Other California species in the same genus, family, or bioregion.
Sources: Jepson eFlora · Index of California Plant Names · CalPhotos
Last updated 2026-10-07
Data from The California Species Project — 14,000+ California species with verified data from CNPS, CDFW, USFWS, Cal-IPC, and more.