Cat's Claw

The cat's claw (Uncaria tomentosa) is found throughout the Amazon region and prefers moist, shady rainforest soils. Thousands of years ago, its bark and roots were used by the Incas for a variety of purposes. The liana plant owes its name to the cat's claw-like appendages with which it clings to trees and bushes. The primitive peoples of South America enjoyed the cat's claw powder as a tea, but it can also be sprinkled over dishes.