Costus longebracteolatus Maas

  • Authority

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

  • Family

    Costaceae

  • Scientific Name

    Costus longebracteolatus Maas

  • Type

    Type. Asplund 19765 (holotype, S), Macas, prov. Santiago-Zamora, Ecuador.

  • Description

    Latin Diagnosis - Caulis foliosus ca 2 m altus. Vaginae, ligulae et petioli dense hirsuti ad strigosi. Vaginae 10-15 mm diametro. Ligula 10-15 mm longa, truncata. Petiolus ca 10 mm longus. Folia anguste elliptica ad anguste obovata, apice breviter acuminata, basi cuneata ad rotundata, 22-45 cm longa et 6.5-14 cm lata, facie superiore glabra ad dense strigosa, subtus dense strigosa. Caulis floriger difformis, ca 50 cm altus, vaginis oblique truncatis, 4-5 (-6) cm longis et 1.5-3.0 cm latis, dense hirsutis ad strigosis Inflorescentia ovoidea, 7-13 (-24) cm longa et 5-8 cm lata. Bracteae coriaceae, late ovatae-triangulares, 4.5-5.5 cm longae et 3.5-4 cm latae, glabrae ad dense strigosae, parte exposita virides vel rubro-tinctae, parte obtecta rubrae, callo 5-15 mm longo. Bracteae inferiores appendice late ovato-triangulari, 5-22 mm longo et 8-19 mm lato instructae. Bracteola 33-38 mm longa, glabra ad dense strigosa. Calyx 18-22 mm longus, glaber ad sparse strigosus, lobis late triangularibus ad deltatis, 5-10 mm longis. Corolla albo-flava, rubro-maculata, 70 mm longa, glabra, tubo 20 mm longo, lobis obovatis, 50 mm longis et 25 mm latis. Labellum expansum late obovatum, ca 60 cm longum et 50 cm latum, margine crispata in vivo rubra (teste Asplund). Stamen anguste ellipticum, ca 50 mm longum et 12 mm latum, anthera 12 mm longa. Ovarium ca 10 mm longum, glabrum vel ad apicem dense aureo-strigosum. Capsula ellipsoidea, 10-25 mm longa, glabra, seminibus nigris.

  • Discussion

    This species is very well characterized by its strigose to hirsute stems and its very long bracteole and calyx. It is related to C. laevis, C. acreanus, or C. amazonicus, but its exact place in relation to these species cannot be ascertained as the structure of the labellum is not known in detail.

  • Distribution

    (Fig 30, 5). Ecuador and Colombia; in forests, from sea-level to 900 m.

    Colombia South America| Amazonas Colombia South America| Caquetá Colombia South America|