Costus spiralis var. villosus Maas

  • Authority

    Maas, Paulus J. M. 1972. Costoideae (Zingiberaceae). Fl. Neotrop. Monogr. 8: 1-140. (Published by NYBG Press)

  • Family

    Costaceae

  • Scientific Name

    Costus spiralis var. villosus Maas

  • Type

    Type. Florschütz & Maas 2690 (holotype, U; isotypes, F, K, NY), Heidoti, Coppename R., Suriname. This plant is cultivated at Hort. Bot. Utrecht 67-334.

  • Description

    Latin Diagnosis - Differt a varietate typica foliis et petiolo dense vel sparse villosis. Pollen size 106-128 /x. Exine 2-4 /z thick. Number of pores 6-9. Porus diam 20-30 µ (.Florschütz & Maas 2788 and 2790 from Suriname). Chromosome number 2n = 18 (Florschütz & Maas 2690 and 2790 from Suriname).

    Distribution and Ecology - (Fig 48, 4). The Guianas and Pará, Brazil; at edges of savannas, in savanna forests and on granitic outcroppings in sun-exposed spots; one collection from edge of swamp on muddy soil; from sea-level to 350 m.

  • Discussion

    Costus spiralis can easily be recognized in the field by its red inflorescence and pinkish-red to salmon-red flowers. It is very close to C. spicatus (see under that species) and C. erythrocoryne; it diverges from the latter in its red instead of yellow flowers and its somewhat shorter calyx. Like many other species of Costus, C. spiralis occurs in two forms: one with the inflorescence terminating a leafy stem, the other with a separate leafless flowering shoot. Some of the specimens of the latter resemble the typical C. spiralis very much, but five specimens deviate in a few characters: margins of the bracts dilacerating into fibers and calyx 12-15 mm long (instead of 7-10 mm as in the typical C. spiralis); in both characters they closely match C. erythrocoryne, but the flower-color and the leaf-shape fall more within the circumscription of C. spiralis. Only a few poorly preserved flowers being present on the sheets, the floral characters could not be adequately studied and therefore no final solution of this problem can be given. The specimens studied are: Prance & Pennington 2019 (NY, U) from km 60 of road BR 22, Capanema to Maranhão, Pará, Brazil; Cowan 38752 (NY, P) from Montagne de Kaw, French Guiana; Fanshawe, For. Dep. B. G. 3825 (K) from Bartica-Potaro Road, Guyana; Froes 34249, 34328 (IAN) both specimens from Rio Piria, Para, Brazil.

    I am not quite sure of the identity of the following specimens: Bang 912, Kuntze sn and Rusby 1295 from Bolivia and named these specimens C. ? laevis, but they also resemble C. spiralis.

  • Distribution

    (Fig 48, 4). Tropical South America, especially the Guianas and Southeastern Brazil; in moist rain forests or savanna-forests, or in shaded places on granitic outcroppings; usually at low elevations but also up to 1800 m.

    Guyana South America| Suriname South America| French Guiana South America| Brazil South America| Pará Brazil South America|