Plant Datasheet for Costus stenophyllus

The species is endemic to the Osa Peninsula area of Costa Rica. I have seen it throughout the northern part of the peninsula and on the north and east sides of the Golfo Dulce. It is usually found on ridges and well drained slopes, but I also found it common on flatter ground near Drake. I completed an assessment for the IUCN Red List in 2014, and it is now classified as Least Concern. My assessment can be found at http://www.iucnredlist.org/details/full/56349106/0.

Holotype: collected in 1951 by P. H. Allen in the Esquinas forest (Punatrenas province).

ACCESSION NOTES:
I have one accession of this species, R2613, received in trade as a clone of the cultivated plant. This collection has been vouchered at the UC Berkeley, Jepsen Herbarium, UC2045797.

OBSERVATION NOTES:

Los Planos, Osa Peninsula, Costa Rica, Latitude 8.648, Longitude -83.667, at 146 meters elevation.

La Gamba area, Puntarenas Province, Costa Rica, Latitude 8.699, Longitude -83.211, at 200 meters elevation.

Near Fila Trail, Esquinas Lodge, Puntarenas Province, Costa Rica, Latitude 8.69945, Longitude -83.2069, at 175 meters elevation.

Reserva Forestal Golfo Dulce, Puntarenas Province, Costa Rica, Latitude 8.737244, Longitude -83.407716, at 60 meters elevation.

Trail near Rancho Quemado, Osa Peninsula, Costa Rica, Latitude 8.68, Longitude -83.58, at meters elevation.

GINGERSRUS CATALOG LISTING:
Costus stenophyllus is a very different looking Costus, easy to recognize even when not in flower. It has tall straight patterned stems and narrow leaves with a look that gave it the common name of "bamboo Costus". It is from the Osa Peninsula area of Costa Rica, where I have always seen it growing in forest understory on well drained ridges or steep slopes. It is a basal bloomer with brigth red cone-type inflorescence and pale yellow tubular flowers.