Plant story
The Devil's Claw in the Okavango Delta, Botswana
Harpagophytum zeyheri flowers
MSBP fieldwork in the Okavango Delta in December 2005 located five Red Data List species, one of these being Harpagophytum zeyheri.
MSBP Botswana team identifying the Devil's claw fruit
This locality marks the southernmost point of its distribution, which extends to southern Angola, northern Namibia, southern Zambia and northern Zimbabwe. Traditionally known as 'Devil's Claw', harvesting of the secondary storage roots for analgesic and anti-inflammatory properties has lead to heavy collection intensities, which has raised concerns of over-exploitation.
Below is a photo of Harpagophytum procumbens - which helps to illustrate where the name "Devil's claw" came from.
