Costus Family
Costus barabatus Suess., an understory herb in the Costaceae. The spiraling stalk is approximately 1.5m tall, with a terminal inflorescence (at right). Note the spiral arrangement of the leaves and the acute angle between veins and the midrib (leaf detail, ½ x).
Una hierba del sotobosque. El tallo espiral tiene aproximadamente 1.5m de altura, con una inflorescencia terminal (a la derecha). Note la organización en espiral de las hojas y el ángulo agudo entre las venas y el eje central (detalle de la hoja, ½ x). Description: Instantly recognizable from its growth habit. The simple, alternate leaves are borne in a spiral, and often the main stem spirals as well. The inflorescence is almost always borne at the end of the stalk, unlike in Zingiberaceae.
Economic uses: Occasionally grown as an ornamental.
Descripción: Se reconoce esta familia fácilmente por su forma de crecimiento. Las hojas simples y alternas siempre crecen en forma de espiral, y muchas veces el tallo también tiene forma espiralada. La inflorescencia casi siempre aparece al extremo del tallo, a diferencia de las Zingiberaceas.
Usos económicos: A veces se cultiva para ornamental.
Genera/species at La Selva: 1/8. Costus
FIELD MARKS – leaves arranged around stem in spiral staircase pattern.
 Cheilocostus speciosus is native to Asia and widely cultivated in Costa Rica. |
 Cheilocostus speciosus is native to Asia and widely cultivated in Costa Rica. |
 Costus lima showing spiral arrangement of leaves and typical inflorescence. |
 Costus lima showing spiral arrangement of leaves and typical inflorescence. |
 Costus malortiaenus in flower in the Holdridge Arboretum. |
