Costus scaber × lasius Ruiz, Pav. & Loes.

  • Authority

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

  • Family

    Costaceae

  • Scientific Name

    Costus scaber × lasius Ruiz, Pav. & Loes.

  • Description

    Description - Plants 1.5-3 m tall. Sheaths glabrous, 6-10 mm in diam. Ligule truncate, 2-3 mm long, glabrous. Petiole 2-5 mm long, glabrescent, Leaves narrowly elliptic cuneate at the base, long-acuminate at the apex, acumen 10-20 mm long with involute margins, upper side glabrous (rarely ferrugineous-villose), costa densely puberulous, lower side glabrous. Inflorescence ovoid to cylindric, obtuse, 4-6 cm long, to 15 cm in fruit, 2-3.5 cm wide. Bracts bright yellow, coriaceous, broadly ovate, obtuse, 2-3 cm long and wide, glabrous, callus 2-6 mm long. Bracteole 12-16 mm long, glabrous. Calyx 5-7 mm long, glabrous, lobes shallowly to depressed triangular, ca 1 mm long. Corolla yellow, 35 mm long, glabrous, tube 10 mm long, lobes obovate, 25 mm long, 10-15 mm wide. Labellum yellow, oblong-obovate when spread out, 25 mm long, 12-13 mm wide, lateral lobes reddish, rolled inwards and forming a tube, middle lobe irregularly lobulate, lobules 1-2 mm long. Stamen narrowly elliptic, 15 mm long, 4 mm wide, anther 4-5 mm long. Ovary 3-6 mm long, glabrous. Capsule subglobose, ca 10 mm in diam, glabrous, seeds black.

  • Distribution

    (Fig 38, 5). Panamá, prov. Chiriquí, from 1050-1800 m altitude.

    Panama Central America| Chiriquí Panamá Central America|