Costus laevis

Description:

Costus laevis is an understory herb that grows from 2 to 6 m tall. The leaves of all Costus species are arranged in a single spiral up the stem. The leaf blades are lance-shaped (15-60 cm long x 5-15 cm wide), with a silver-white midvein, and a light purplish leaf stalk that clasps the stem. The flowers are produced in a terminal, elongate spike-like cluster (5-10 cm long) that is made up of densely packed green to purple bracts each of which has a nectary gland just below the pointed tip of the bract. A single showy flower is produced within each bract and each has six purple-red tepals streaked with white including three short outer tepals and three larger tubular inner tepals. Of the six stamens (pollen producing structures) in each flower only one produces pollen and the remaining five are fused to form a large, showy lip that is often visible above the tepals. The fruit is a dry capsule that does not break open to release the seeds. The seeds are approximately 2 mm in diameter and are covered by a waxy coating.

Habitat:

Geographic Distribution: Costus laevis is native to Central America and western South America where it is found in primary and secondary humid forest below 900 m in elevation. It is often found in the understory of treefall gaps and along the edges of streams or on forest edges. The genus Costus contains about 90 species that are distributed throughout the tropical regions of the world with a center of diversity in Central America.