Devil's Claw

This is home grown Devil's Claw seed pods Martynia louisianica.

It is easy to see why this botanical curiosity got its reputation. With the recurved claws which catch and hold, Devil's Claw is seen as an aid to get you what you want. The whole plant is sticky to the fingers, so that contributes to the association of “getting something.” While Lucky Hand is also used similarly, I think of it as getting something you never had, whereas Devil’s Claw, with its claws that recurved back towards you, seems more appropriate for getting something back which you once had, as in lost or stolen items.

It is also called Unicorn Plant, and is NOT the same Devil’s Claw (Harpagophytum procumbens) used medicinally for joint pain. I grow my own Martynia louisianica, or rather, it volunteers in my gardens. A related species is often sold erroneously as Bat’s Head Root, or Bat Nut. Bat nut, Trapa bicornis looks like a bat and is used for luck.

The below correspondences are vis Cunningham, Encyclopedia of Magical Herbs in plain text, C.L. Zalewski, Herbs in Magic and Alchemy in brackets, or my own interpretations in parenthesis.