I spotted a plant labeled “mousetrap plant” at the LA Arboretum, and the name alone was enough to stop me in my tracks. It sounded mysterious, a little intimidating, and definitely interesting—so I had to learn more. That curiosity led me to Uncarina, a group of unusual succulents native to Madagascar.
Uncarina plants go by several dramatic nicknames, including succulent sesame, claw plant, and of course, mousetrap plant. Their name comes from the Latin uncus, meaning “hook,” referring to the tough, barbed seed pods that can latch onto anything that brushes past—animals, clothes, or unsuspecting gardeners. (In other words, probably don’t poke them.)
Despite their fierce fruits, Uncarina species are beautiful plants, producing bright blooms in shades of yellow, orange, purple, or rose, depending on the species. Many also form a thick, sculptural caudex—a swollen, woody base that stores water and helps them survive long dry seasons. Over time, this “foot” grows into fascinating shapes that make the plant even more eye-catching.
So that one little label at the Arboretum turned into a whole rabbit hole of discovery—and now I’m a bit obsessed with these strange, dramatic succulents.
我在洛杉磯植物園看到一種標著「捕鼠器植物」的植物，光是這個名字就足以讓我駐足。它聽起來神秘、有點嚇人，但絕對有意思——所以我想了解更多。這份好奇心引領我找到了鉤刺麻屬，這是一類原產於馬達加斯加的奇特多肉植物。
鉤刺麻屬有許多形像生動的別名，包括多肉芝麻、爪藤，當然還有捕鼠器植物。它的名字來自拉丁語 uncus，意思是「鉤子」，指的是它堅韌的帶倒鉤的種子莢，這些種子莢可以鉤住任何擦過的東西——動物、衣服，甚至是毫無防備的園丁。 （換句話說，最好別去碰它們。）
雖然鉤刺麻屬屬植物的果實略顯粗獷，但它們本身卻是美麗的植物，會開出鮮豔的花朵，顏色有黃色、橙色、紫色或玫瑰色，具體顏色取決於品種。許多鉤藤也會形成厚實而富有雕塑感的塊莖——一種膨大的木質基部，可以儲存水分，幫助它們度過漫長的旱季。隨著時間的推移，這個「基部」會生長成各種奇特的形狀，使植株更加引人注目。
植物園裡那小小的一張標籤，竟讓我陷入了無底洞般的探索之中──現在我有點迷上了這些奇特而引人注目的多肉植物。
Uncarina decaryi 黃花艷桐草
Uncarina decaryi had leaves that are lobed, usually bearing up to 7 points, and they have a red petiole and the leaf is cillate in texture.
黃花艷桐草(黃花和尚頭)的葉子呈裂片狀，通常有多達 7 個裂片，葉柄為紅色，葉片質地呈波浪狀。
Uncarina grandidieri 黄花胡麻
Uncarina grandidieri (often called Succulent Sesame) is a deciduous plant that typically grows upright to about 8–12 feet tall. Near the branch tips, it bears soft, bright green leaves that are shallowly five-lobed, somewhat resembling those of cotton. The leaves are finely hairy, slightly sticky to the touch, and release a musty odor when rubbed. They are held on red, hairy petioles about 2 inches long. This species also produces striking flowers with butter-yellow petals surrounding a deep crimson throat, a color combination that makes the blooms especially eye-catching.
黄花胡麻是一種落葉植物，通常直立生長，高度可達 8-12 英尺（2.4-3.7 公尺）。枝條頂端附近長有柔軟的亮綠色葉片，葉片淺裂成五瓣，略似棉絮。葉片表面有細毛，觸感略微黏膩，搓揉後會散發出霉味。葉片由長約 2 英吋（5 公分）的紅色毛狀葉柄支撐。該物種還會開出引人注目的花朵，花瓣呈奶油黃色，花喉深紅色，這種色彩組合使花朵格外引人注目。
Notes 筆記
- Uncarina, commonly known as succulent sesame or mousetrap plant, is a genus of flowering plants in the family Pedaliaceae, all of which are native to Madagascar. The name of the genus comes from the Latin uncus, meaning “hook” or “barb,” referring to the hooked, spiny fruits produced by these species.
- Uncarina is also called the claw plant or mousetrap tree for good reason: its seed pods are armed with stout, hooked barbs that readily latch onto animals—or anything else—unlucky enough to brush past them. If you’re daring enough to grow this unusual, somewhat eerie plant, avoid handling the pods, as the barbs can be extremely difficult to remove from skin or fabric.
- The flowers of Uncarina vary by species and may appear in shades of orange-yellow, golden yellow, purple, or rose.
- Most species in the genus inhabit dry, semi-arid, or seasonally dry regions. As an adaptation to these conditions, many develop a large, woody base, or caudex, which serves as a water-storage organ. Over time, the caudex swells and becomes increasingly sculptural, functioning as a reservoir that helps the plant endure extended periods of drought.
- 鉤刺麻屬俗稱多肉芝麻或捕鼠器植物，是芝麻科下的一個開花植物屬，所有物種均原產於馬達加斯加。本屬的名稱源自拉丁文 uncus，意為「鉤」或「倒鉤」，指的是這些物種所結的帶鉤帶刺的果實。
- 鉤刺麻屬又稱捕鼠樹，名副其實：它的種子莢上長滿了粗壯的鉤狀倒刺，很容易鉤住任何不幸擦身而過的動物或其他生物。如果你膽敢種植這種奇特而略顯詭異的植物，切記不要觸碰它的種子莢，因為這些倒刺極難從皮膚或織物上清除。
- 鉤刺麻屬的花朵因品種而異，顏色可能呈現橙黃色、金黃色、紫色或玫瑰色。
- 該屬的大多數物種生長在乾旱、半乾旱或季節性乾旱地區。為了適應這些環境，許多物種演化出大型的木質基部，即塊莖，作為儲水器官。隨著時間的推移，塊莖會膨脹並變得越來越具雕塑感，最終形成一個儲水庫，幫助植物度過漫長的乾旱期。
References 參考資料
- Wikipedia: Uncarina
Plants Posts 植物的帖子
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