Uses
The fruits of all species are edible before they ripen and become woody, they can be steamed and eaten much like okra. Some species (particularly P. parviflora) are used in basket weaving by the Tohono O'odham who have selected for varieties with longer "claws." The Hia ced O'odham and the Tohono O'odham eat the seeds, in ancient times seeds provided an important source of dietary oils.
Read more about this topic: Proboscidea (plant)