Costus speciosus (J.Koenig) Sm.
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Authority
Maas, Paulus J. M. 1972. Costoideae (Zingiberaceae). Fl. Neotrop. Monogr. 8: 1-140. (Published by NYBG Press)
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Family
Costaceae
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Scientific Name
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Type
Type. Not seen.
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Synonyms
Banksia speciosa R.Br., Hellenia grandiflora Retz., Costus spicatus var. pubescens (Jacq.) Sw. & Griseb., Costus arabicus Jacq.
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Description
Description - Plants 0.5-3 m tall. Sheaths green, tinged with reddish brown, rather densely minutely puberulous to glabrous, 7-12 mm in diam. Ligule truncate, 1-2 mm long, densely minutely puberulous to glabrous. Petiole 2-5 mm long, rather densely to densely puberulo-sericeous. Leaves narrowly elliptic, 12-25 × 3-6 cm, cuneate to rounded at the base, shortly acuminate at the apex, with a subulate point 2-7 mm long, upper side glabrous, lower side densely puberulous to sericeous, very soft to the touch. Inflorescence ovoid to broadly ovoid, 4-7 cm long, 3-5 cm wide. Bracts red to brownish red (5 R 4/12 to 2.5 R 4/10), coriaceous, narrowly ovate-triangular, acute, 25-35 mm long, 10-25 mm wide, rather densely puberulous to glabrous, apex ending in a 2-10 mm long, often pungent point, Bracteole purplish- to brownish-red, 18-20 mm long, sparsely minutely puberulous. Calyx reddish brown to green, 22-25 mm long, sparsely minutely puberulous, exceeding the bracts, bicarinate on the adaxial side, lobes triangular, 5-7(-12) mm long. Corolla white to pinkish white, ca 60 mm long, densely to rather densely minutely sericeous, tube ca 15 mm long, lobes elliptic to obovate, 45-50 mm long, ca 20 mm wide. Labellum white to pinkish white, broadly obovate when spread out, 60-70 mm long, 80-100 mm wide, margins crenate, middle lobe blotched with yellow in the centre. Stamen white to yellowish white, narrowly elliptic to narrowly ovate, 45-50 mm long, 7-15 mm wide, apex obtuse, anther 11 mm long. Ovary 5-10 mm long, sparsely to rather densely sericeous. Capsule not seen. Chromosome number 2n = 18, 27, or 36 (see Cytology).
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Distribution
(Fig 48, 12). Indo-Malaysia, from India and the Central Himalayas in the West to New Guinea in the East; cultivated in South America and naturalized in the Antilles; in moist open places, in secondary vegetation.
Cuba South America| Jamaica South America| Puerto Rico South America| Martinique South America| Guadeloupe South America| Saint Lucia South America| Saint Vincent and the Grenadines South America| Grenada South America| Trinidad and Tobago South America|