Costus comosus (Jacq.) Roscoe var. comosus

  • Authority

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

  • Family

    Costaceae

  • Scientific Name

    Costus comosus (Jacq.) Roscoe var. comosus

  • Type

    Type. Plate 202 from Jacquin's Icon. Pl. Rar. is designated as lectotype, since the herbarium material, originating from Caracas, Venezuela and cultivated at Vienna, was destroyed in the Vienna Herbarium in World War II.

  • Synonyms

    Alpinia comosa Jacq., Costus comosus (Jacq.) Roscoe, Costus maritimus Standl. & Ll.Williams

  • Description

    Description - Upper side of leaves densely puberulous to villose, lower side puberulous, villose, or velutinous. Appendages of bracts densely puberulous, not scabrid to the touch.

  • Discussion

    Two Colombian collections: Hodge 6972 (US) and Lopez & Sanchez 55 (US), both from Villa Arteaga, Antioquia, rain forest at 150 m altitude, are somewhat aberrant from the typical C. comosus in having leaves up to 10 cm wide. When better material from the same locality is available they may prove to be varietally distinct.

    Aristeguieta 4606 (VEN) from La Lagunita, Miranda, Venezuela differs from C. comosus in having unappendaged bracts; all other characters, including the flower structure, agree with C. comosus and therefore the specimen is placed under that species.

  • Distribution

    (Fig 38, 1). Northwestern Venezuela, adjacent parts of Colombia, and two collections from Costa Rica and Panama; in moist forests, especially in clearings, near rocks or on wooded slopes, down to sea-level, but usually at higher elevations, from 500-1200 m.

    Panama Central America| Veraguas Panama Central America| Magdalena Colombia South America| Venezuela South America| Aragua Venezuela South America|