Costus allenii Maas

  • Authority

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

  • Family

    Costaceae

  • Scientific Name

    Costus allenii Maas

  • Type

    Type. P. H. Allen 3587 (holotype, G), Camp Pina, Colón, Panamá.

  • Description

    Latin Diagnosis - Planta 1.5-3.5 m alta. Vagina dense ferrugineo-strigosa, 8-20 mm in diametro. Ligula oblique truncata, 2-10 mm longa, dense ferrugineo-strigosa. Petiolus ad 10 mm longus, dense ferrugineo-strigosus. Folia anguste elliptica ad anguste obovata, apice breviter acuminata, acumine 5-10 mm longo, basi cordata ad cuneata, 15-33 cm longa, 4-13 cm lata, utrinque dense ferrugineo-strigosa. Inflorescentia ovoidea, obtusa, 4-8(-11) cm longa, 3-5(-7) cm lata. Bracteae in parte tecta rubrae, in parte aperta virides, coriaceae, late ovatae, obtusae, 3-4 cm longae et latae, sat dense ad dense ferrugineo-strigosae, callo 2-4 cm longo. Bracteae inferiores appendiculatae (cf C. villosissimus), superiores exappendiculatae. Bracteola 22-25 mm longa, sparse ad sat dense, minute puberula. Calyx 8-10 mm longus, glaber ad sparse minute puberulus, lobis deltatis, 2-4 mm longis. Corolla lutea, ca 50 mm longa, glabra, tubo 15 mm longo, lobis obovatis, ca 35 mm longis, 15-20 mm latis. Labellum luteum, expansum late obovatum, 40-50 mm longum et latum, lobis lateralibus rubro- ad purpureo-striatis. Stamen anguste ellipticum, 30-35 mm longum, 7-10 mm latum, apice irregulariter lobatum, anthera 8 mm longa. Ovarium 4-6 mm longum, dense sericeum. Capsula ellipsoidea, ca 15 mm longa et 10 mm lata, dense sericea ad glabra, seminibus nigris.

  • Discussion

    The indument of this species and also the appendaged lowest bracts, are very much like C. villosissimus; the upper bracts of C. allenii, however, are not appendaged. The colour of the flowers, yellow with a red-striped labellum, better harmonizes with C. laevis (or C. amazonicus). I should not be too surprised if the results of future field studies should demonstrate this species to be a hybrid of C. villosissimus and C. laevis (or C. amazonicus).

  • Distribution

    (Fig 24, 3). Panamá, Colombia, and Venezuela; in moist rain forests, from sea-level to 1000 m altitude.

    Panama Central America| Canal Zone Panamá Central America| Coclé Panamá Central America| Colombia South America| Antioquia Colombia South America| Venezuela South America| Mérida Venezuela South America|